The New York Mets have one of the highest payrolls in baseball.
Between Francisco Lindor, Kodai Senga, Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz, and what they are still paying Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, they have an expensive team and that doesn’t even include other high-earners.
But there is one player in particular who is entering a contract year and could leave as a free agent at the conclusion of the 2024 campaign.
That player, Pete Alonso, happens to be a fan favorite and a clubhouse darling, not to mention one of the most prolific power hitters in the game at the moment.
Since making his MLB debut with 53 home runs in 2019, Alonso hasn’t stopped hitting long balls.
Everybody in the Mets universe wants him to remain on the roster for the long haul, but baseball is a business.
It’s not always easy to get everybody to stay.
Mets owner Steve Cohen talked about Alonso on Friday and let people know that they want to keep him and will make a honest effort.
“Steve Cohen talks about Pete Alonso’s upcoming free agency: ‘We want to keep him. He’s an important part of our team today and hopefully in the future. We know the fans feel strongly about him, and I’m not tone deaf. I totally understand the fans’ love of Pete. I hope he hits 55 home runs and makes it so difficult on me in free agency. I would call that a great outcome,’” SNY Mets tweeted.
Steve Cohen talks about Pete Alonso’s upcoming free agency:
“We want to keep him. He’s an important part of our team today and hopefully in the future. We know the fans feel strongly about him, and I’m not tone deaf. I totally understand the fans’ love of Pete.
I hope he hits… pic.twitter.com/fyh7ogQiN7
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) February 23, 2024
The funniest thing about what Cohen said is that Alonso is very much capable of hitting 55 home runs.
If he does, the team will be in a prime position to secure a postseason spot.
Failing to extend the “Polar Bear” would be a bad look for a franchise with deep pockets, knowing that the player has stated his desire to stay in the past.
In the end, Alonso is more likely to stay than he is to go anywhere else.
The post Mets Owner Discusses Pete Alonso’s Pending Free Agency appeared first on The Cold Wire.