Clashing rumors of a Francisco Alvarez contract extension coming; will it happen?

A break from the monotone of Pete Alonso contract extension talk, Hector Gomez riled us all up on Tuesday by dropping one of the more unexpected yet welcomed New York Mets rumors we could’ve hoped to see.

It didn’t take long before others with inside knowledge shot down those Mets rumors with an update on what they’re hearing: nothing.

So which is it? The problem with rumors is you can never tell where they start, who the source is, and what the intention behind the information may actually be. 

Why we shouldn’t count on a Francisco Alvarez contract extension just yet

Alvarez is a top extension candidate in baseball, not so much based on what he has accomplished but on how much he has progressed over a short period of time. He is developing a reputation as more than a power-hitting catcher. Applauded for his handling of pitchers and in some instances heads-up plays on the field at the major league level, the guy is on a trajectory to make himself one of the more well-rounded catchers in the game.

The Mets shouldn’t be in any immediate rush to sign him long-term. They’ve counted their pennies with each transaction this offseason. While they can, paying Alvarez league minimum has its benefits. The purpose of one of these early-career extensions tends to offer the ball club a more team-friendly deal. This shouldn’t be a necessity for the Mets who have an owner that could pay to have the team play on the moon.

An Alvarez extension may, however, help thwart any negative feelings toward the organization with Alonso entering a lame duck season. On the contrary, extending Alvarez and not Alonso might just create some unneeded tension. Alonso and Scott Boras have indicated they’re willing to talk and even sign an extension in-season. Likely, the only price tag they’ll sign for is the most massive one they can suggest without smirking.

Back in December, Alvarez spoke about his openness to signing an extension. More than two months later, this is the first anyone has heard or, in more cases, not heard about one coming.

Which Mets rumors are true? They’re rumors. They’re all true. After an exhaustive offseason where so many insiders missed, I think we’re all just ready for some actual games to be played.