Mets set one condition to re-sign Pete Alonso

For the second time in as many years, the New York Mets are facing the possibility of losing Pete Alonso. The star first baseman opted out of the second year of the two-year contract he signed last season.

The Mets' late-season collapse has put plenty of pressure on GM David Stearns, and losing star closer Edwin Diaz to the Dodgers has only put the team in a tougher spot. However, that doesn't mean the Mets will bend over backward to keep their homegrown star in town. According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, they're reluctant to give him a long-term deal.

Mets won't give Pete Alonso more than three years 

"Losing both Diaz and Alonso -- two of their most popular players -- would certainly be a gut punch to the fan base," Feinsand wrote. "The sticking point between the Mets and Alonso could very well be years, as sources say that the Mets may be hesitant to go more than three years with the first baseman."

A three-year deal would keep Alonso tied to the organization through his age-33 season, so he should still have plenty left in the tank by the time he hits free agency again. The Mets are projected to spend $278M next season, but as the previous campaign proved, that's not a guarantee of success.

Alonso is coming off a bounce-back season with a slash line of .272/.347/.524 to go along with a .871 OPS, 38 home runs and 126 RBI. He's still one of the prime first basemen in the game, and not being able to keep one of the primary fan favorites in town would send the wrong message about a team that continues to find ways to shoot itself in the foot.