MLB insider doubts "any team paying Pete Alonso more than Freddie Freeman" despite Scott Boras "wanting to take the market back to" $200,000,000+
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso will be testing the free agency market despite being one of the clubhouse leaders in Queens. The Mets will try their best to re-sign him; however, if his agent Scott Boras pushes the limits for his contract, he might not end up with a hefty one.
As per insider Ken Rosenthal, Boras is looking to push Alonso's market value to nearly $200 million. Rosenthal added that the current crop of infielders at first base have received relatively lower-valued contracts, with players like Freddie Freeman and Paul Goldschmidt signing around the $150 million mark. He feels that Alonso will not be offered anything around Freeman's six-year $162 million deal.
"I am sure Alonso's agent, Scott Boras, is going to want to take the market back to what it was," Rosenthal said on Monday, via 'Foul Territory' (6:50). "The question is, will anybody be willing to pay Alonzo along those lines? He is one of the rare power hitters in the game. He is also a guy who is not terribly athletic, he tries really hard at first base, but he is limited there. He's a guy that, yes, will definitely help any number of teams in a sport starved for power.
"I just don't know that any team is going to want to pay him more than Freddie Freeman. We just saw what Freddie Freeman did in the World Series, we've seen what he has done in his career, he's a Hall of Famer. Freddie Freeman, again, his deal with the Dodgers, a couple of years ago now, six years $162 million."
Pete Alonso loves playing in Queens
For the 4x All-Star, moving away from the New York Mets is a tough decision as he has become a fan favorite in Queens over the years. After the Mets lost their final game in the National League Championship Series, Alonso said that he liked the team and wanted to stay.
“We’ll see what happens,” Alonso said. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. But I love New York. I love this team. I love playing in Queens. This group is really special, and the memories that we’ve created together are just — wow. This is why we play baseball.”
As per ESPN, the Mets remain the primary choice for Pete Alonso. However, they could face competition from the Yankees, who are also in need of a corner infielder after struggling with Anthony Rizzo. The Washington Nationals have an outside chance as well.