Francisco Lindor owes Pete Alonso a favor

It wasn’t all that long ago when Francisco Lindor was new to the New York Mets franchise. Following his trade from Cleveland, the speculation quickly became whether or not the new exceedingly wealthy owner of the team would greenlight a contract extension for the newest superstar addition.

Leading up to Opening Day, the Mets were on a deadline to get a deal done with Lindor. It had to happen before the regular season began or the Mets risked losing him in free agency.

Despite never playing a single regular season game together, Pete Alonso was outspoken about the Mets and their need to pay Lindor $400 million. A ridiculous number all of these years later, it’s still good to remember how much Alonso backed up his new teammate from the start. It’s now time for Lindor to do the same.

Francisco Lindor needs to speak up on the need for the Mets to keep Pete Alonso

Lindor doesn’t, nor should he, throw out a number as to how much the Mets should pay Alonso. It would be notably less than he’s making already and what’s more awkward than saying a colleague of yours deserves compensation, but less than what you received?

No, Lindor doesn’t need to get into the math of it all. He just needs to get a little more vocal about what Alonso means to the team. He is, after all, the leader.

Alonso is the last of those core Mets position players who’ve been around to receive a contract. Brandon Nimmo returned on a huge deal last winter. Jeff McNeil got his extension. Meanwhile, Alonso has an uncertain future beyond just money. Will he even be with the Mets after the 2024 season?

The onslaught of hot take speculation as to why teammates aren’t speaking up about this will most certainly come up during middays on New York sports radio. Unfounded comments about Alonso being toxic circled like vultures last year. And until someone like Lindor speaks up, the fodder is there to pick apart.

For what it’s worth, Lindor is the only player who has had teammates publicly rally around him to receive a contract. Alonso is several decibels louder than Lindor. Lindor’s leadership tends to be more low-key and subtle with the in-game action front and center. Since his rookie year, Alonso has shown leadership qualities more focused on the culture. His determination in 2019 to memorialize 9/11 was the greatest sign of him “getting it.”

It may be outside of his usual self for Lindor to endorse any sort of a contract extension for a teammate. And there’s no telling how loud he has gotten behind closed doors.

But like a public display of affection can go further than a kiss alone in the bedroom, so can a public display of extension. It’s a small favor Lindor owes to Alonso to go public on what he means to the team. Jeff McNeil already has. Now it's Lindor's time to do the same.