After the New York Mets signed Juan Soto to the biggest deal in sports history, everyone thought the floodgates would burst open in the off-season. But alas, continuing the trend of the past few years, the Winter Meetings were cold. Although some big moves did happen, like the New York Yankees signing Max Fried and Devin Williams and the Boston Red Sox trading Garret Crochet, the bigger signings are still left. Pete Alonso’s future remains uncertain; while several teams seem interested, from the Yankees, Houston Astros, Nationals, and more, it’s leading nowhere. And the issue could be his market price!

Now, Spotrac has pegged the Mets’ star’s market value at $174 million for six years. While many are interested, the Mets are still seen as favorites to re-sign their star. And they don’t seem ready to bid goodbye to their star baseman yet. Steve Cohen said, “We think he’s a great Met, and we’re still engaged. We hope he stays as a Met, as per reports of Newsday’s Tim Healey. Their reunion does make sense. But many, like Ken Rosenthal, think it’s just Mets blank talks. “They’re going to say that until he is gone,” Rosenthal said. But really, SNY’s Danny Abriano says it makes so much sense for Alonso to re-sign with the Mets.

The practical and emotional fit of Alonso in Mets

Danny Abriano put it best: “Alonso seems as right for the Mets as the Mets do for Alonso.” And if you really look at the situation, it’s hard to argue. Sure, the Mets signed Juan Soto and supercharged their lineup by a mile. But they are missing a piece, and that piece is Pete Alonso. There is a practical and an emotional side to it. Practically, the Mets still have a lot to do this off-season. They need a reliable starter, actually two starters, for their rather shaky rotation. The bullpen is, after all, still a work in progress, and they are possibly trading players like Jeff McNeil or Starling Marte.

Even with that, there is one thing they can’t ignore: they are still a bat short. Now coming to the alternatives—Cody Bellinger—the New York Yankees seem to have an edge over him. And Alex Bregman is going to go for possibly a longer deal and a bigger one too. So, Alonso fits with them perfectly. “It makes too much sense for it to not happen,” as Danny Abriano puts it. Then, there is also a rather emotional side to it—Pete Alonso is already there; he is homegrown and, most importantly, proved his mettle over time.

Alonso isn’t just any power hitter; he is now just 26 home runs away from breaking Darryl Strawberry’s franchise record. The Mets have what it takes to get Alonso; after all, Steve Cohen is there, a financial mogul. So, one side needs to blink and let go of the stubbornness and get this deal done; it seems like the Mets sure have a strategy in place.

The strategy Mets might take to lock in Pete Alonso

The New York Mets right now seem to be playing it smart when it comes to Pete Alonso. One can say they are looking into the bigger picture. According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the team is considering a short-term deal with a higher AVV for Pete Alonso. Rather than a lengthy contract that stretches to Alono’s mid to late 30s. So, it could be a five-year deal of $170 million—that’s $34 million per season.

Marking a huge payday for Pete Alonso, it easily places him among the elite earners in MLB. The alternative is a longer deal of about seven years for $189 million, for example. This would average out to about $27 million a year and is still a lot of money, but it’s a risk for the team as they might end up paying for the declining years of Pete Alonso. So, for Alonso, the short-term deal makes perfect sense—a massive salary and a shot at another contract when he is 34—though that is in case he still keeps hitting as he is now.

The Mets are clearly adopting the strategy of balance; so, do you think this deal is a win-win? Let us know in the comments.