Players from around Major League Baseball are making their final preparations before spring ball workouts kick off later this month.
With the workouts quickly approaching several star players remain on the free agent market like longtime Houston Astros star Alex Bregman and New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso.
The latter reportedly “badly” wants to return to New York, but USA Today insider Bob Nightengale reported he’d need to accept the Mets’ three-year, $70 million offer to do so. The insider revealed Alonso’s market hasn’t materialized like he hoped, with the Toronto Blue Jays being the only other team to show interest.
“It likely will come down just how much the Mets will pay Alonso in the first year of that three-year contract, which will include an opt-out after the 2025 season to allow Alonso to test the market again,” Nightengale wrote.
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20).
© John Jones-Imagn Images
As his free agency rolls on, a new prediction has the star slugger staying in New York. Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report predicted where Alonso will land next, giving the star first baseman a three-year, $75 million deal.
“The $29 million AAV could still be in play, but 3/$75 million is sounding far more likely than 6/$174 million,” Miller suggested before deciding the “where” for the slugger.
“… Alonso re-signing with the Mets has always felt like the likeliest outcome, even after they signed Jesse Winker and seemed to be moving on sans Polar Bear. And until he actually lands somewhere else—or at least until the Mets actually add a 1B or 3B this offseason—it’s still going to feel that way,” Miller hypothesized eventually picking the Mets as the landing spot.
Alonso is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career where hit batted .240 with 34 home runs and 88 RBIs, both the second-lowest mark of his career behind only the 2020 Covid-shortened season.
