The New York Mets made the biggest splash of free agency by signing Juan Soto. His record-breaking contract did not mean they were done spending, however, as they brought back Sean Manaea and signed Frankie Montas. But one prominent player is still available for New York to re-sign after their great 2024 season. Pete Alonso and the Mets are far apart on a free agency deal and former Amazin Mark Cahna has noticed. He spoke with Jon Heyman of the New York Post about his former teammate.
“I think he's gonna get his, I think he's going to get what he deserves at the end of the day,” Cahna said. “If you've watched Pete play a lot, I think you appreciate him more. He's one of the best hitters I've ever seen in my life.”
Cahna refers to the reports about Scott Boras asking for a nine-year, $210 million deal for Pete Alonso. The Mets are offering a three-year deal, according to the reports. But the first-base market has dried up significantly and there are not many options left for either side.
A reunion between Alonso and the Mets is the most likely outcome despite the reports. The Angels have been involved, per Heyman, but even then he said the Mets were the favorites. What is the solution to get the Polar Bear back in Queens?
The Mets must sign Pete Alonso to a fair offer

Juan Soto's 15-year, $765 million contract turned heads as the richest contract in North American sports history. Steve Cohen is the richest owner in baseball and can lure players to the Mets with massive paydays. But that does not mean they should just throw money at Alonso. They hired David Sterns for a reason and he needs to stand his ground in these negotiations.
Sterns came to the Mets after a successful run with the Milwaukee Brewers. He did not have unlimited money while in Milwaukee and used a great scouting department to build a contender. Now, he brings those skills to a big market and is looking to merge those worlds. Alonso is 30 years old and has had some defensive deficiencies. Not paying him for nine years is a fair assessment given his age.
The Mets are heavily favored to land Alonso partly because of the money they have. If they find a middle ground on the years, Cohen may fix the money gap by himself. While things seem far apart now, Alonso and the Mets should be staying together.