When you stretch a rubber band too far, it either snaps or rebounds with a sting—and it seems like Pete Alonso and his agent Scott Boras are surely feeling the snap. In a search for an amazing long-term deal, the duo must have pushed the limits a bit too much. Because let’s rewind a bit. Last year, the New York Mets did offer a great deal for Pete Alonso, a $158 million offer. But Pete Alonso, being a Boras client, of course, wanted to fish for the best deal. And here they are now.

The landscape of the first baseman market has changed dramatically. Pete Alonso’s massive $200 million demand is not something all teams want to shoulder. And so even as the new year has rolled in, Polar Bear remains without a new home. While the Mets’ door seems more closed than open, other teams have joined in the sweepstakes. There are the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Angels. But insiders like Ken Rosenthal are not sure how true those nominees seem to be. Instead, he said the best bet for Alonso is to head to NY again.

The Mets are Pete Alonso’s logical home

Ken Rosenthal, in a recent interview with Foul Territory, cited the Mets as the most logical destination for Pete Alonso. “I still see the Mets as the logical place. You are going to see the Angels, the Giants, whatever. I don’t know if any of those are that real,” said Rosenthal. However, he didn’t completely discount the other teams, given what everyone saw with Corbin Burnes’ case.

But Rosenthal mentioned that the Mets should understand the value Alonso brings to the table. “They’re the team that developed him, thrived with him, and knows he can handle the New York market,” Rosenthal highlighted. And he isn’t wrong.

Not every player can handle the bright lights of New York, but Pete Alonso has not played; he has thrived. He has a rare power, and an established track record that screams—he can play in the big city. But that being said, the $200 million six-year contract he wants still seems too stretched, as per Ken Rosenthal. According to him, the Mets are hesitant not just because of the contract rate but also the calendar years. “Alonso is entering his 30s, and he’s not particularly athletic, even though he works hard on his defense,” Rosenthal mentioned.

Top Comment by BobbyMo

I love big Pete. Own a jersey and I’m a season tix holder. That being said, I think the Mets...more

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Debate

Now players in their thirties have some decline in their performance. Hence, the New York Mets don’t seem ready enough to pounce on that six-year deal. But there is a way that Alonso can still make it to New York—a shorter deal. “Even if it’s a three-to-four-year deal with a high AAV, that’s still a win for Alonso,” mentioned Rosenthal. Well, it remains to be seen whether this game of chicken will stop.

Are the Mets eyeing a different first baseman?

The New York Mets, who could benefit from Alonso’s arm in the lineup, need to have a Plan B. So maybe Alonso in 2025 shed the red and blue for a different jersey. In search of a stopgap solution, the team has been evaluating several possibilities, apparently. Now there is another name that seems to have caught their interest, and it’s Yandy Díaz of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Joe Najarian of the New York Mets on Sports Illustrated also pitched in on the first baseman Yandy Diaz. He is entering his final year of a $24 million deal with a club option of 2026. So Diaz could be a perfect short-term solution. “Díaz’s contract is incredibly team-friendly, paying him just $10 million for 2025. The Mets could use him as a temporary fix while waiting for international slugger Munetaka Murakami or Guerrero Jr., who may become available during the 2025-26 offseason.”

Diaz, 33, had an impressive 5.2 WAR in 2023. His 2024 numbers have dipped a little, but he still posted a .281 batting average and a 116 OPS+ for the Rays. And also given that the Rays have a history of trading away the higher-salary players, Diaz seems to be within reach for the New York Mets.

But now the bigger question is whether the Mets can afford Alonso to slide right now. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.