Inside The Mets

ESPN Insider Conveys Why Pete Alonso's Free Agency Suitors Should Beware

An ESPN insider painted a clear picture of why MLB teams should "be wary of" former New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso this offseason.

Grant Young

Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first base Pete Alonso (20) makes a catch for against the New York Mets out in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first base Pete Alonso (20) makes a catch for against the New York Mets out in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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The New York Mets are expected to be aggressive in re-signing their former first baseman Pete Alonso in free agency this offseason.

And Alonso's impressive production since debuting with the Mets in 2019 (his 226 home runs in that time are second-most in MLB, only behind Aaron Judge's 232) indicates why Alonso will be made a very rich man this winter, regardless of who he signs with.

However, ESPN MLB insider Kiley McDaniel conveyed why potential suitors should "be wary of" pursuing the Polar Bear in a November 15 article.

"Alonso turns 30 in December, is coming off the worst power season of his career and has essentially never been a clear positive on the basepaths or defensively while playing the least valuable position on the field. These are the basic first arguments that have been commonplace in the game since Moneyball started the analytics era: Never give top-of-the-market money to players like this," McDaniel wrote.

"Given his history of production, I could justify paying something in the $100 million to $110 million range if I stretched, but signs point to the back end of any nine-figure deal potentially looking very bad for the team that signs him.

"If I were a GM, I just think I could spend my free agent dollars better than this kind of investment in Alonso alone -- such as by getting Christian Walker for less than half of what Alonso will likely be guaranteed," he added.

This sentiment about aging first basemen is no secret, and is a valid reason for teams to be hesitant to sign Alonso.

But given what he means to the Mets' franchise, perhaps the Polar Bear's value to New York can't be quantified.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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