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Pete Alonso has been on the forefront of commerce rumors for practically a yr as his contractual state of affairs with the New York Mets has gone unresolved, regardless of the group providing him a seven-year, $158 deal in 2023 per Joel Sherman of the New York Submit.
Nonetheless with no deal that extends past this season, many anticipated the two-time Residence Run Derby champ and 2019 NL Rookie of the Yr to be traded by the deadline.
That now not seems to be the case as Jon Heyman of the New York Submit reported, “The Mets proceed to hunt bullpen assist, as they continue to be a purchaser for now. Meaning Pete Alonso seems to be staying.”
That might be a mistake for 2 causes, the obvious being that if the group can not get a deal completed with its slugger, he might be free to signal elsewhere this offseason with the Mets getting no compensation in return.
He has additionally skilled steadily declining OPS and WAR since his breakout rookie marketing campaign. Since his first season within the league, his OPS has dropped from .941 to .772 whereas he went from 5 wins above substitute to simply 1.1 this season.
Positive, we’re solely by the primary half of 2024 and there may be loads of time for The Polar Bear to catch hearth and blast dingers, but when his numbers are any indication, there may be motive to imagine that won’t occur.
He’s presently on tempo for his fewest dwelling runs since 2021, with 19 by the primary half.
Even Alonso’s on-base proportion numbers have dipped for the reason that 2022 season, from .352 to .318 in 2023 and .319 this season. His .240 common this yr is best than his abysmal .217 from a yr in the past, and he has already tallied 88 hits by the primary half to the 123 he did a yr in the past, however he’s nonetheless not the dynamic game-changer that he has been at different factors in his profession in New York.
Given Alonso’s present output, there’s a actual chance that the Mets wouldn’t get what they need for him, so within the group’s eyes, it makes extra sense to carry onto him. Why danger getting nothing in return when the group may no less than add a prospect or two, if not a draft decide or money issues?
One thing is best for nothing for a man who will price whoever indicators him some huge cash this offseason.
If the Mets have even the sneakiest suspicion that it’ll not be them, they have to do their diligence, discover a commerce associate, and let Alonso take his one-man Residence Run Derby present elsewhere.
After all, he underwhelmed in that competitors this season, too, as he was eradicated within the first spherical after mashing simply 12 into the Globe Life Area stands.
Your entire argument for Alonso shifting earlier than the deadline adjustments if the Mets know there’s a better-than-even probability that they are going to re-sign him. He is without doubt one of the faces of the franchise, nonetheless elicits a giant ovation when his bat does ship a ball out of the park, and has solely ever performed for the Mets.
Holding him round as one of many pillars, alongside Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo, may very well be one of many group’s offseason objectives. If that’s the case, holding onto him on the deadline is a precedence.
If the potential that he walks away is any higher the group wants to tug off the proverbial Band-Support and determine to separate with their star now earlier than it watches him play for an additional group, realizing it may have acquired no less than one thing for him a number of months earlier.
