Insider Reveals Concerning Truth About Mets Slugger Pete Alonso's Looming Free Agency

An MLB insider voiced some concerns about Pete Alonso's pending free agency this offseason.

Aug 21, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) at bat during the fourth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

While much of New York's free agency buzz has been focused on Yankees superstar Juan Soto in the past few days, the Mets have their own slugger who's also about to become a free agent.

That slugger is Pete Alonso.

While Alonso is looking to receive a lucrative contract from some MLB team this offseason, an August 27 article from ESPN insider Jeff Passan deemed the 29-year-old first baseman the "Biggest skepticism" of this year's free agency class.

"How does an elite offensive player breed skepticism?" Passan wrote. "His position. (First base.) And how those who occupy it age. (Not well, typically.) And his defense there. (Suboptimal.) And its value compared to other positions. (Much less.) And his cost. (He turned down more than $150 million last year.) And how that compares to his peers. (Freddie Freeman, arguably the best of them, received $162 million over six years.)"

Baseball Savant shows that Alonso has been a (very) below-average defensive first baseman this season. He has produced a -5 run value so far in 2024, which is tied for the worst defensive season in his career.

Defensive struggles aside, Passan makes it clear that Alonso is still an elite hitter — which is more than enough to convince MLB teams to pay a pretty penny for his services.

"And yet here's the truth about Alonso: In a league where so few players can hit, he is consistently among the best at doing so, and 30 teams will not ignore that in free agency," Passan wrote. "Perhaps Alonso won't get paid $200 million -- his batted-ball profile this year has regressed marginally -- but any notion that he's going to fall through the cracks ignores the comfort any team gets putting a slugger with superior bat control into the middle of its lineup."

Alonso's 219 home runs since his MLB debut in 2019 have been the second-most in the league over that time. Age, regression, and defensive concerns aside, this stat alone conveys why Alonso is worthy of the massive contract he's seeking this offseason.