The Polar Bear saga is to be continued! At least Scott Boras’ hardball tactics indicate the same, with him failing to secure a deal for his star agent Pete Alonso. However, apart from securing a contract, the brotherhood between Scott Boras and the Mets owner Steve Cohen is also on the corner due to the stalemate in Alonso’s contract. Well, Scott Boras’ negotiation tactics are now proving detrimental to his agents who are yet to find a good deal except a few like Juan Soto.

The brutal opinions shared by Steve Cohen regarding their negotiations for Alonso are not sharing a positive picture for fans who are expecting Alonso to return with the Mets. And with the friendship between Cohen and Boras also at stake, it is proving to be a grim situation for Alonso to get landed with any MLB club. So, what’s the negotiations for Alonso are all about, which is creating so much fuss? Also, is it certain that Alonso and the Mets are parting away?

Cohen and Boras: no more on the same page

It’s very much evident now that Cohen and Boras are not on the same page anymore with Alonso’s negotiations. Why? Alonso is coming off a rather good year with 34 HRs and .240 BR and played all 162 games for the Mets, expectedly the Mets tried to retain him by offering a three-year deal worth $70 million, which Alonso rejected. The $70 million deal is quite a good contract to start with but Alonso is expecting north of $100 million and that’s when the hard negotiations started between the Mets and Boras. The $765 million deal between the Mets and Soto negotiated by Boras only fueled this further.

It is further surprising that apart from the Mets, Boras is yet to find a new home for Alonso indicating that other teams are also skeptical of offering $100 million to him. With the Mets in contention for Alonso for the last few months, it’s going to be exhausting for them now. Reacting to the same, the Mets owner Steve Cohen was candid in a recent fan event, “Soto was tough, this is worse”. This statement is enough to get an idea about how hard it is going with Alonso when Soto’s deal with $765 million is considered easier than this. 

Well, it seems that Boras’ magic is no longer working in finding cash-rich deals, and Cohen’s comments indicate how it is getting asymmetrical for the team owners. However, Pete Alonso’s right to find better deals should also be acknowledged, the only challenge here is that the spring season is just a few weeks away. Hence, the Polar Bear saga is not going to end soon and the fans’ expectations about getting their slugger back are all looking grim for now. 

What’s ahead for the Mets and Alonso 

With the Mets and Alonso seemingly parting ways, it’s good for both parties to move on from here. For the Mets, they can move Viento from 3B to 1B, which is quite possible and Soto is there to lead the charge. Moreover, talents like Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, and Luisangel Acuña are all up to the table if the Mets need to field their team without Pete Alonso. So yes, quite an option left with the Mets. The same emotion is shown by Cohen as well when he focuses on building a team without depending on any single player. 

While Alonso is finding his new home, the Blue Jays seem to be the favorite here. They already have Guerrero and Bichette and need a power bat that can be complemented by Alonso. His raw power will be effective for the Blue Jays, especially in the postseason. The Angels are also in contention for Pete Alonso and reportedly they are going to offer $100 million and if so, it will all come to an end between him and the Mets. 

Nevertheless, honest opinions by Cohen offered insight into how tough it is for the team owners to negotiate, and ultimately it is the players who are finding it difficult to get placed. A more consensus and symmetrical negotiation process is a need of the hour in MLB and that can only ensure a better trading system in place. 

Share with us your thoughts about Cohen’s word about Boras.