Jesse Winker is back with the Mets, but it is looking increasingly less likely that his good friend Pete Alonso will not be returning to Queens.
Just moments after Winker’s one-year, $8 million pact with the Mets became public, SNY’s Andy Martino reported that the team now expects Alonso to sign elsewhere.
The two sides have reached an impasse in recent days after Alonso and his agent, Scott Boras, told the Mets that he would sign a shortened three-year contract with opt-outs only with them. Instead, president of baseball operations David Stearns used a portion of the money that they could have signed Alonso with to bring Winker back on.
Their last priority this offseason remains the bullpen — most notably a potential pursuit of former Miami Marins and San Diego Padres star reliever Tanner Scott.
Alonso has had interest from other clubs, including the Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants, in recent weeks. The Toronto Blue Jays emerged as a legitimate suitor on Thursday.
Winker projects to be the everyday designated hitter while providing additional outfield depth behind corner outfielders Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte, and even Tyrone Taylor. Mark Vientos is expected to make the shift from third base to first base to fill the impending void that Alonso’s now-looming departure will leave. Stearns will likely open up an internal competition at third base between some of the organization’s youngest candidates ranging from Brett Baty to Ronny Mauricio to Luisangel Acuna.
Alonso turned down a seven-year, $158 million extension from the Mets during the summer of 2023, fired his agent, and hired Boras in an attempt to help him reset the market for first basemen. The duo once had hopes of getting a $200 million deal. Instead, a down 2024 campaign saw the 30-year-old’s market evaporate with an obvious unwillingness to offer him a long-term deal.
