A pitcher without a fastball and Scott Boras failing to secure a dream deal for his clients – both are unthinkable. Yet, the impossible seems to be unfolding. Boras, the kingpin of MLB contracts, is facing an ultimate challenge in Pete Alonso’s free agency. Alonso, who kicked off his MLB journey with the New York Mets in 2019, has been the X-factor of the Mets. Despite doing this carry job, Polar Bear is not able to get the desired deal. That too, when his agent is none other than Scott Boras.

Alonso is seeking a long-term contract with the Steve Cohen-owned Mets and having Boras as your agent, anyone would expect to land this smoothly. But things are not as easy as it seems. Talking to Buster Olney of ESPN, Paul Hembekides did not easy on Boras. The ongoing contract negotiations between the Mets and Alonso have largely centered around the deal length. Despite Alonso’s established power-hitting prowess and his value to the team, the Mets front office and Alonso’s camp have been at odds over how many years the deal should span.

A long-term contract with the Mets would mean Alonso’s prime years would be secured in Queens. Given his age and hitting prowess, it’s understandable that he’s looking for a deal that could take him well into his 30s, perhaps similar to other top-tier players who sign 7-8-year contracts. On the Mets’ side, however, they are wary of committing that many years to the player.

The huge gamble on Pete Alonso may not turn out the way he wants 

Just last year, when Alonso had his worst season in the last four years, hitting just 34 homers, the Mets front office had offered a $158 million deal. But this was turned down by Alonso and Boras. In a recent episode of Baseball Tonight with Buster Olney, Hembo and Olney discussed the ‘Polar Bear’s’ situation. And when Buster asked if this offer still stands on the table, Hembo just said, “That ship has sailed.” They think that the Mets now might not sign the player with the original offer.

The Mets seem to be recalibrating their expectations, possibly eyeing Alonso’s aging curve and wondering if it’s wise to commit long-term. They’ve shown they value him, but they might not be willing to hand him a decade-long deal, especially with questions about his future production. At this point, it might be wise to take what he can get—maybe a three-year deal at $30 million a season, with an opt-out option after two. However, that would be a far cry from the massive, long-term payday he and Boras hoped for.  

Enter an unexpected wildcard, the Seattle Mariners  

The Mariners have unexpectedly become a strong candidate to sign Alonso. In 2024, the Mariners, who had quietly assembled one of the league’s top pitching rotations, came very close to ending their postseason drought. The team was only 3.5 games from the top of the AL West and one game away from a Wild Card berth. They want to give their offense a jumpstart now that the flavor of October baseball is still fresh, and who could do that better than Alonso?

Many in the baseball community, like Andy Martino of SNY, have already said that Seattle would be the ideal spot for Alonso. It would be a “great place” for the slugger to flourish, according to Martino. Trevor Plouffe of Jomboy Media even went so far as to forecast a three-year, $90 million contract. That’s a big offer – the same that Alonso declined from the Mets.

Would the ‘Polar Bear’ really consider packing up and heading to a smaller, quieter market like Seattle, even with an identical contract on the table? It’s a tough call. Sure, Seattle is a team on the rise with a pitching staff to envy, but would Pete Alonso be willing to leave all the attention and spotlight behind for a change of scenery?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments!