With it being election week, there’s been a lot of talk about the economy and the market. In San Antonio, where it’s general manager week of sorts, the talk is about the free agent market.
Scott Boras, the notorious MLB super agent who represents a handful of players that either just left the Mets or are being pursued by the Mets, summed it up Wednesday at his annual MLB GM Meetings address.
“We hear a lot about the bear market for power-hitting first basemen,” Boras said. “For Pete’s sake, it’s the Polar opposite.”
If you hadn’t guessed already, Boras was talking about Pete Alonso, the homegrown first baseman testing the free agent waters for the first time. “Polar Bear” Pete has said that he would like to stay in Queens with the only team he’s ever known as a pro. His teammates have said the same and coaches have as well, with the whispers growing louder with each home run he hit in the playoffs.
His signature moment came in Game 3 of the Wild Card series against the Milwaukee Brewers when he hit a go-ahead home run off closer Devin Williams to send the Mets to the next round.
“It couldn’t be more fitting,” hitting coach Eric Chavez told the Daily News after the win in Milwaukee. “People want him back here. He wants to be back here. That was such an unbelievable signature moment. I know he’s had homers, but this is the biggest one by far for him in the city. This is the biggest moment of his career, absolutely. Absolutely.”
So if he wants to stay, why go to free agency? The simple answer is because it’s the smart business move.
The free agent process is something Boras advocates for with his clients to gauge their true markets, and it’s something many players feel they have to explore. They earned that right, so why not take advantage?
Alonso is not just a homegrown slugger, but he’s a popular fan favorite who values the Queens community and the privilege of playing in New York. That popularity has taken a dip over the last two seasons with Alonso turning in two relatively down seasons. In 2023, he hit a career-worst .217, though he did hit 46 home runs and had an OPS over .800.
But in 2024, he posted career-lows for a 162-game season in home runs (34), slugging (.459) and OPS (.788). He finished with an OPS+ of 123, which is 23 points above average. However, he did play in all 162 games and rated fine defensively.
All of this did change his value. Alonso might not have a lot of competition in the first base market this winter, but he still might have to settle for a lower AAV on a longer-term deal. Presumably, going into his age-30 season, Alonso wants a long-term contract, but nowhere in the agent’s stand-up set did he mention potential term.
Does re-signing Alonso preclude the Mets from signing free agent outfielder Juan Soto? That much isn’t clear yet. Even Boras, who represents both of them, didn’t know. Of course the agent would love for the team with seemingly limitless resources to sign both of his clients to long-term deals. Soto could command a record contract that surpasses the one signed by Shohei Ohtani last winter. Ohtani’s $700 million contract is heavily deferred with the MVP wanting the Dodgers to be able to sign top talent around him.
It worked, Los Angeles won the World Series.
President of baseball operations David Stearns didn’t have a comment on Soto, who is also being pursued by the Yankees.
“I’m most focused on making the right decisions for the Mets, regardless of what any of our other 29 teams are doing,” Stearns told reporters in San Antonio. “Including the team that happens to be across the town.”
Alonso received a qualifying offer, so any team that signs him will have to forfeit a draft pick.
There will be another round of witty quips from Boras next month at the winter meetings. There will be more speculation and more rumors about a beloved Met, but the only people who know what’s going to happen are Alonso, Stearns, Boras and owner Steve Cohen.
