Pete Alonso’s free agency is reaching a critical juncture.
Alonso’s market is heating up, with three teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays, engaged in discussions for the power-hitting first baseman, league sources said. If the Blue Jays landed Alonso, they’d still prefer to keep Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a person familiar with the club’s thinking said. Guerrero played 12 games at third base last year, and he and Alonso could serve as the club’s designated hitters.
Meanwhile, the New York Mets want a resolution, as the New York Post first reported. As of early Thursday morning, people briefed on the matter said a financial hurdle still existed between the two sides.The Mets are in active talks with other players and it would be difficult to fit Alonso into their plans if they strike a deal in other pursuits, a person familiar with the Mets’ plans said.
If the Mets don’t end up re-signing Alonso, the No. 8 player on The Athletic’s Free Agent Big Board, it is possible for the team to acquire additional help at designated hitter or spend more in the bullpen.
Previously, league sources suggested contract length was an issue between the two sides. But Alonso’s camp then recently offered the Mets a three-year deal with opt-outs, as former Mets GM Jim Duquette first reported. That marked an important development, but it was hard to know how much that improved negotiations without knowing the dollar figures.
(Top photo of Pete Alonso: Harry How/Getty Images)
