A fair Mets contract offer to make them and Pete Alonso happy

The New York Mets and David Stearns, as their new President of Baseball Operations, have to decide what to do with Pete Alonso this offseason. In this sense, Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated published that the Mets and Pete Alonso would agree to a contract extension regarding the salary that Alonso would earn but continue to disagree on the number of years.

Negotiations appear to be turning toward a possible deal after rumors surfaced that Alonso was going to be traded to the Milwaukee Brewers last trade deadline. With a positive step forward, the Mets could offer a creative type of contract that seeks to meet the needs of the Polar Bear while protecting against any risks.

The Mets must be creative in structuring Pete Alonso's contract

The Ragazzo news should be a good sign for Mets and Pete Alonso fans, who had spent weeks asking for the extension of one of the team's most charismatic players. The fact that both parties can agree on salary terms about what would be fair in a contract of this type is encouraging.

However, Alonso is trying to maximize the total contract time he can get since it could be the only opportunity of his career to achieve something of this type. Therefore, the Mets should try not to lose the momentum of the negotiations and offer Alonso a contract of around eight years with options and performance bonuses that provide peace of mind for both Pete and the Mets organization.

• Possible contract details:
• 8 years guaranteed (2025-2032)
• Vesting option for 2033
• Player option after 2028
• Full no-trade clause for 2025-2027
• Partial no-trade clause from 2028-2032 (if the option out does not apply)

In a contract of this type, Alonso can get eight guaranteed years (the same that Matt Olson managed to get with the Atlanta Braves) plus a vesting option of an ninth year that could be guaranteed by the plate appearances that Alonso can get in the season 2032. This would give Alonso the chance to get a long-term contract. Meanwhile, the Mets could have a format where they don't have to go that far for a potential declining player.

For Alonso to accept this type of contract, the Mets will likely have to give something attractive in exchange, and this would be an option out after the 2028 season, which could make him a free agent if he so chooses. With this, Alonso guarantees that if he is highly productive in the first years of the contract, he will try free agency while the Mets would have obtained four years of prime production from their first baseman while they test their prospects.

Additionally, structuring different types of trade clauses and bonuses tied to awards and performance would be the final adjustments to close the negotiation. With this contract, both parties could get what they want and make Pete Alonso a Mets player almost for life.