Pete Alonso’s free agency situation has finally come to an end.
After several months of negotiating with multiple teams and trying to figure out a deal, Alonso has decided to return to the Mets on a short-term contract.
The contract is for two years with a player option after the first year. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Alonso will make $54 million guaranteed as part of the deal, including $30 million in the first year.
Alonso seemed to be frustrated that he was not getting the type of contract he was seeking in free agency, and it seemed like he wanted to return to the Mets. The Mets had been frustrated with the negotiations and dug in, refusing to give Alonso the type of long-term deal he was seeking. The rest of the market did not materialize the way Alonso had hoped, which led him to circle back to the Mets and make with them.
What’s interesting is the timing of the move. This happened two weeks held a fan event during which team owner Steve Cohen was blunt with Mets fans regarding the Alonso situation.
“This has been an exhausting conversation and negotiation. Soto was tough, this is worse,” Cohen said, referring to Juan Soto’s negotiations.
Cohen saying that to the fans was a good move, because it gave them an understanding of why a deal hadn’t happened. It also allowed Cohen to speak to Alonso without agent Scott Boras as a go-between.
