New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso reportedly rejected a contract extension offer from the team.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post emerged this weekend to detail the current differences between Alonso and New York Yankees superstar Juan Soto. Sherman detailed that the Mets approached their slugging first baseman with the offer, but his camp turned it down.
The offer, which Sherman states was worth $158 million over seven years. The team attempted to get it done to include the 2024 season, his final year of arbitration. Still, Alonso and his camp balked.
“Alonso’s lead agent then, Adam Karon, had a policy when he represented the Mets first baseman not to talk to reporters about any negotiating details and refused comment when contacted. But I heard the Mets never got close to a deal,” Sherman wrote. “And, without that extension and with the Mets underachieving into non-contention, the club did discuss Alonso in July trade talks, notably with the Cubs.”
Alonso’s name did come up in trade talks last season, and the Cubs were mentioned as a potential landing spot. That never came to fruition obviously, but more corroboration to that point paints an interesting picture. The Mets might be in even more trouble if they can’t corral their All-Star first baseman before he hits free agency.
After billionaire Steve Cohen bought the team, situations like this hoped to be avoided. But, the Mets find themselves in this predicament, so we’ll see how they swim out of it.
