The New York Mets have a huge dilemma in their hands. Do they try to convince their star Pete Alonso to extend his contract or do they aggressively pursue him during his free agency next year? While an extension is a much more attractive option, the chances of it happening have been getting slimmer and slimmer every day. In such a situation, Alonso has sent another mixed signal despite his dream of “being a lifelong Met”.

The Mets-Alonso connection has been a saga filled with confusion. Both sides are interested but not ready to take the first step. So as it stands, there’s a lot of smoke but not enough fire to cook up a deal in this situation. 

Pete Alonso sends mixed signals to the New York Mets camp

In a report by The Athletic, Pete Alonso was asked about his situation with the Mets. To this, the slugger replied, “I love it here…I definitely have envisioned myself being a lifelong Met. That’s something I’ve definitely thought about. … I welcome the idea, but I can’t predict the future.” So despite his apparent love for the Mets, Alonso is not sure about the future. It’s consistent with how their negotiations have progressed.

The Mets and Alonso entered into an agreement that paid the slugger $20.5 million in 2024. While they avoided the arbitration, there was a visible surprise in Alonso’s camp. During the GM’s meetings, his agent Scott Boras said, “When it comes to the Polar Bear, we’re not in contract hibernation”. This signaled that they were open for extension talks.

However, the Mets didn’t take the bait. Despite there being an opportunity, the Queens’ side didn’t negotiate for an extension with Alonso. This surprised the slugger as he hoped that there would be a discussion about his long-term future with the team. But the Mets had something else on their minds. 

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Now Alonso has given a mixed signal as well. So with his free agency just a season away, could this be the ultimate showdown for the Metsies?

The Kings of the Queens seemingly bet on free agency

The Mets’ president of baseball operations David Stearns has made it clear that he thinks free agency is the more likely outcome for Alonso. This could signal that the Metsies are already planning for the future pursuit of the star slugger. It would make sense with their timeline of restarting their title ambitions after the end of the 2024 season. But until then, it looks like both sides aren’t interested in being the first ones to start the extension talks. 

Normally, the free agency could be a dangerous road for the teams. But with Steve Cohen as their owner, looks like the Mets are ready to take that risk. Still, with the whole season ahead of them, one can imagine this story is far from over.

Read more: New York Mets’ Pete Alonso to Battle Massive Expectations? Pressure Builds Amidst Impending Free Agency