New York Mets’ DH Plans Set to Solve Pete Alonso Crisis? Superstar Slugger’s Queens Future in Doubt

It’s funny how sometimes a blessing can also become a curse. When Steve Cohen took over the New York Mets, he was the king. But while the payroll increased, victory remained far. Now the Mets are paying the price. The low-key offseason has shown that the team finds its current payroll unsustainable but there’s a tiny issue – they need to find support for Pete Alonso. 

Undoubtedly one of the brightest stars in the Queens sky, Alonso’s explosiveness has saved the Mets many times. But with the first baseman in the last year of his contract, there’s genuine worry inside the clubhouse regarding his departure. While there are many things that the team can do, there’s one thing in particular that could give a strong signal to Alonso – getting a DH!

Could a DH change the trajectory of the New York Mets?

New York Post’s Jon Heyman recently shared his thoughts regarding the Mets’ offseason and how they can salvage it. He noticed that even though the Queens Side had improved its pitching, there was a still lot left to be done on the hitting front. Apart from Alonso, the Metsies don’t have a consistent hitter in their lot. And that may have started to negatively affect Alonso as well.

Noting Alonso’s 46 home runs last year, Heyman also pointed out a troubling sign “But his (Alonso’s) unsightly and uncharacteristic .217 batting average surely is the result of being pitched around.” The insider alluded to the fact that due to a lack of a consistent slugger batting behind him, Alonso’s batting average has taken a hit. This could be why Alonso could leave the Mets next season.

So what can the Kings of the Queens do to support their superstar slugger? Perhaps signing a DH can help. The market is currently filled with two tremendous hitters J.D. Martinez and Jorge Soler. Both of them are expert hitters who’ve been consistently hitting balls out of the park. In 2023, Martinez hit 33 Homers and Soler hit 36! 

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They could certainly benefit the Mets by not only supporting Alonso but also showing him that the team is ready to walk the talk about going for the World Series. Making Alonso stay seems to be the priority right now, however, there’s a slight issue here.

The high payroll could turn the Metsies away

According to Roster Resource, currently the payroll of Mets remains over $300 million. This is after not making any major signings in 2024. It seems the roosters have come home to roost for the Metsies, as their past extravagant expenses have made it difficult for the team to make new signings. The fact that they’ll have to pay 110% tax for every dollar spent is a scary prospect. Hence, the Mets find themselves at a crossroads.

Do they go ahead and sign a DH without caring about the pressure it will put on their finances? Or do they continue like this and hope to find another way to keep Alonso with them?

Read more: MLB Updates: Mets Fans Lament Pete Alonso’s Future, as Uncertain Contract Overshadows Underwhelming Off-SeasonThe Storied History of Baseball’s Coveted World Series Trophy