Mets Monday Morning GM: Don’t take the Pete Alonso contract rejection personally

Pete Alonso is having one of those years an upcoming free agent with a mortgage dread. Still a powerful bat in the middle of the lineup who’ll secure RBI opportunities and deliver, the New York Mets slugger isn’t doing much else.

The recent revelation from Joel Sherman about him rejecting a 7-year offer worth $158 million this offseason hasn’t aged well early on. It’s well in line with what Matt Olson got from the Atlanta Braves when he signed an 8-year deal worth $168 million. What’s the hold up?

It’s looking somewhat fortunate at the moment that the Mets didn’t extend Alonso only because he hasn’t been quite the same All-Star level player. The rejection of this offer correlates too closely to his hiring of Scott Boras in the offseason. Boras missed big in terms of overall value for several of his free agents this offseason. By the looks of it, Alonso could be headed down the same path, too.

The Mets shouldn’t take Pete Alonso’s rumored rejection personally

The worst thing the Mets can do with Alonso is get petty. Yes, he rejected their offer. But that doesn’t mean it should be completely removed from the table. Appearing as if he’d probably earn less in terms of overall value based on the way this season has started, it’s important David Stearns uses his head and not his heart.

Luckily, this has been the way Stearns has operated thus far. He designated Tyler Jay for assignment days after his feel-good MLB debut. There were certainly others he could’ve DFA’d instead.

More relatable to the Alonso situation was the decision to bring back Adam Ottavino. Ottavino opted out of his contract only to return for the same exact salary he would’ve otherwise received in 2024. He lost deferred money, making it look like a little bit of a Mets win. What’s important isn’t Stearns didn’t completely move on from the veteran reliever simply because he was turned down.

When it comes to the contract negotiations with Alonso, looking at it mathematically from all angles will benefit the Mets most. He rejected 7-years and $158 million. Don’t lower the value the next time you make him an offer just because he said “no” to that extension. Do it because you feel like he doesn’t deserve it.

Mets owner Steve Cohen has shown some vindictiveness—for the better. When Steven Matz backed out of a deal, Cohen sent out a tweet calling out his agent’s lack of professionalism. Days later, the Mets signed Max Scherzer.

It’s a much different situation with Alonso than with Matz. Cohen, for one, would be unlikely to spoil his relationship with Boras. Furthermore, Alonso is far more beloved and important to the success of the team. He’s a guy the front office is looking to keep, not bring in.

The Mets can only do so much to show Alonso they want to keep him around. A seemingly fair offer, the important thing is for the player and his agent to not take what they felt was too low of an offer as an insult. There are a lot of ways to look at the failed attempt to extend Alonso. Hopefully nobody’s feelings were too hurt because whether you want him back or not, we should all want the two sides to at least talk it out. Alonso should leave because someone is willing to pay him more, not because of a personal grudge because someone said “no.”