Did Scott Boras misplay things with Pete Alonso again? Well, it sure looks that way, as for the second straight offseason, Alonso’s free agency isn’t unfolding the way he probably hoped. If you remember, last winter, interest around the league was surprisingly quiet. And instead of landing a big deal, he ended up going back to the Mets on a contract that felt below his expected market value.

Now, even after a much stronger season that includes boosting his OPS by 83 points and putting up impressive numbers with 38 HRs, 41 doubles, and 126 RBIs, it looks like history could be repeating itself. And according to MLB insider Buster Olney’s prediction, Alonso may be headed for another slow, underwhelming market. Guess what, fingers are pointed at Boras for how things have been handled.

“The market just has not been there for Pete to start the offseason. While a return to the Mets feels like the best fit, there are true sentiments around the league that his market might be low enough to where he suddenly becomes affordable to those teams who did not feel as if they would be able to afford his services.” Just Baseball quoted Buster Olney.

There’s really no denying that teams just aren’t lining up to throw big money at Pete Alonso. But why the hesitation for a guy who’s been the Mets’ home run leader and one of the most consistent power hitters in baseball?

On paper, Alonso’s track record is strong. He averages around 42 HRs and a 135 OPS+ per 162 games. But a few things are working against him. For example, his age, his limited defensive value, and the league’s growing reluctance to invest heavily in right-handed, first-base-only bats all play a role!

Moreover, looking at recent trends doesn’t help his case either. Reportedly, since the 2019 offseason, only four first basemen have landed deals of five years or more. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the lone first baseman to crack the $30 million AAV, which makes it hard to imagine a 31-year-old Alonso pulling in a seven-year deal at $28–30 million annually. Yet that’s the kind of outcome Boras seemed to be banking on.

Now, that’s what makes this situation so tricky. Alonso’s bat is clearly elite, and scouts and analysts don’t question that. But the hesitation comes from everything around it. His low-par defense and lack of athleticism are what might be detrimental for Alonso.

However, the Mets fans can still cheer the situation!

Pete Alonso’s homecoming is getting more probable

With all the skepticism swirling around Alonso’s lukewarm market, the Mets might actually end up having the last laugh here. Because chances are high that if he leaves, it could hurt his legacy in New York and make him look like he overplayed his hand. What’s more, on the brighter side, is that the Mets made it pretty clear they’d welcome him back!

As per the Mets president, David Stearns, the Mets would “love” to have Alonso return. And honestly, it makes sense.

For reference, the Brandon Nimmo-Marcus Semien deal surely helped on defense, but thinned out the lineup depth. On top of that, letting Alonso walk and handing first base to Mark Vientos doesn’t look nearly as appealing as it did a year ago. Vientos’ OPS fell by 135 points, and he hit 10 fewer homers. Hence, the Mets would be more than happy to bring their veteran back.

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And the way the market looks right now, it feels like that’s where this could be headed.