There undoubtedly was a time when Scott Boras walked into the GM meetings like a final boss—he was feared, revered, and had the capability of freezing an entire market with his aura and strategies. But that era seems to be fading fast.

Just think back to the last off-season and the one before—remember the “Boras Five”? His clients had to wait until the bitter end for the deals. And last season, Pete Alonso was among them and didn’t even get the deal he wanted.

It dragged on so long that even Mets owner Steve Cohen was tired of the negotiations. Now, as baseball heads into another chaotic winter, insiders are calling Boras out directly. David Samson, who is known to be blunt, mentioned, “There was a time when Scott Boras was feared and revered. That time has passed.”

From there, Samson practically unloaded a rant on the super-agent, aka Scott Boras!

Samson mocked Boras’s GM meetings, the media huddle, the endless alliterations, and the sales pitch. He claims that teams simply don’t buy. “We laughed. We ignored it. It had zero impact,” Samson said, adding that even the owners and GMs are no longer swayed by the word “salads” but “Boras.”

And when he heard the now viral Boras pitch about Pete Alonso, about the “power piper” and the “polar plunge,” Samson just lost it.

“I can’t stand the thought of media laughing at those alliterations… that’s not effective advocacy for a client.” For now, Samson is saying that teams are not biting on the theatrics and on the hype anymore. They are done with it, and maybe Boras’s clients once again will end up with short-term opt-out-heavy contracts, like Pete Alonso.

Now Alonso is a free agent again and is having one of the best seasons of his career. But while the Mets would love him back, even Stearns mentioned nothing is guaranteed—plus, Alonso’s defense is rocky, and so his future depends on how far Cohen is willing to go and not on Boras’s microphone.

As for Tarik Skubal, he wants to stay in Detroit, but wanting and getting are different things. The Tigers haven’t given an extension, and Boras says he is listening, which means the clock is ticking with uncertainty. So all of Boras’s playbook antics seem to be going nowhere.

Three unexpected suitors for Pete Alonso 

Pete Alonso is hitting free agency with one of the loudest bats and maybe the weakest gloves. The combination is tricky, but his recent openness to DH has really widened the market for some surprising new suitors. While the New York team makes sense, some other teams make more sense than you’d think.

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles rarely make a big splash, and for now, pitching is their off-season priority. For them, Alonso fits better with their roster than they realize. Given Adley Rutschman is available to catch most days and Samuel Basallo is ready for his 1B/DH rotation, Alonso’s bat could give Baltimore the middle-of-order slugger they need. Plus, he is a stunner in Camden Yards. Maybe if Mike Elias decides to push the chips, they could get him.

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners could go out and get back Josh Naylor. But getting Alonso could bring them a different type of thunder. T-Mobile Park is pitcher-friendly for sure, but pairing Alonso with Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez would create a power trio that can scare any team. Plus, if Luke Raley goes to the first, then Alonso can go to the DH. Sure, the Mariners don’t aim for bigger-check players, but they are close enough for contention, and so a bold move isn’t off the table.

Philadelphia Phillies

This is one that maybe the Mets fans don’t want to talk or hear about. But if Kyle Schwarber walks, then the Phillies suddenly will have the DH spot empty, and Alonso fits perfectly. Bryce Harper is now a plus defender at first, and this allows Pete Alonso to DH on most days. Akonso also would most likely cost less than Schwarber annually, and that leaves the team enough room for an extra bullpen.

So, where do you think Alonso will be headed?