Pete Alonso is heading into a contract year, leaving his future with the New York Mets uncertain. He did, however, offer some good news for the organization about potentially working out a new deal.
Alonso said Saturday that he would not put an Opening Day deadline on contract talks, and he would be comfortable negotiating even during the regular season. This is a somewhat unusual step, as a lot of players entering their contract years will not talk after Opening Day because they see it as a potential distraction.
This is also somewhat unusual given Alonso switched agencies late last year. He signed up with super-agent Scott Boras, who is known for his preference for taking his clients to free agency to try to ensure the biggest possible payday.
There have been conflicting reports about how the Mets feel about Alonso, with his name popping up in trade rumors last year. However, last we heard, the Mets wanted to keep him for years to come and would work toward that end. Considering Alonso was not traded during the winter — nor did his name come up much in rumors — that still appears to be the case.
Alonso saw his average drop to .217 last season, but his power didn’t abandon him as he hit 46 home runs. The 29-year-old is almost certainly in line for a big contract, be it from the Mets or someone else.
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