Insider addresses if Mets are 'bluffing' regarding Pete Alonso situation

While it was reported last week that the New York Mets' re-signing of outfielder and designated hitter Jesse Winker showed the club was pivoting away from possibly bringing All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso back to Queens, Alonso remains a free agent who is seemingly without a plethora of options available to him as the start of spring training approaches. 

For a newsletter published on Tuesday, Mets insider Anthony DiComo of the MLB website shared why he believes team president of baseball operations David Stearns is not "bluffing" regarding negotiations with Alonso's camp. 

"It appears clear that the Mets won’t go much beyond three years and, say, $70M," DiComo said about the Alonso situation. "At that price, they would surely welcome Alonso back. But if Alonso continues balking at such figures, I do believe the Mets are sincere in their willingness to walk away."

DiComo offered his update less than 24 hours after it was learned that the Toronto Blue Jays had agreed to a five-year deal worth at least $92.5M with outfielder Anthony Santander. Previous stories had linked Alonso with the Blue Jays, but SNY mentioned that Toronto was "also looking to work out an extension with first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr." amid rumors suggesting that the Mets could acquire Guerrero via a trade.

Logic suggests Alonso would already be with the American League East club if it was willing to give him a better deal than what the Mets reportedly offered him earlier this month. 

DiComo noted that Alonso may have "to swallow a heaping portion of pride" to return to the Mets for less money than he imagined after he reportedly rejected a seven-year, $158M contract extension from what's been the only MLB home of his career during the 2023 campaign. The harsh truth of the matter is that Alonso bet on himself and then experienced an up-and-down contract year that left teams worried about how he's going to age into his 30s. 

"I won’t believe Alonso is heading elsewhere until he actually does," DiComo added about a possible Alonso-Mets reunion. "On paper, the match is simply too snug for me to dismiss. It’s a player who has openly espoused his love for New York, a team that features an obvious hole at first base and a fan base that, by and large, would welcome Alonso back."

The Mets haven't yet made noteworthy moves to replace Alonso in the lineup, but there will soon come a time when patience is no longer a virtue for Stearns. At this point, the "Polar Bear" may ultimately cost himself even more money if he doesn't quickly accept what the Mets offered him before the club brought Winker back.