The New York Mets have some questions to answer. Even after signing Juan Soto and adding several pitchers, there is still plenty left unresolved.
First baseman Pete Alonso remains unsigned at the moment, and there is no guarantee he will return to New York as a member of the Mets.
Because the Mets seem to be the only clear-cut suitor for Alonso, they have an advantage over other teams. However, former Mets General Manager Jim Duquette believes that eventually, the team may need some help from its owner.
"I think even Steve Cohen eventually may have to jump in on this one," Duquette said on Foul Territory.
The Mets may ultimately end up giving Alonso a three-year deal with opt-outs, similarly to how the Chicago Cubs were able to re-sign Cody Bellinger last offseason and the San Francisco Giants were able to sign Matt Chapman.
Duquette noted that if the Mets are able to do that, they'll likely still have to sign Alonso for a higher AAV than what the Cubs gave to Bellinger.
Alonso hit just .240 during the regular season with New York, but also hit 34 home runs and drove in 88 runs while guiding the Mets all the way to the National League Championship Series.
Cohen certainly isn't afraid to spend money and could be able to give Alonso a higher AAV by signing him to a shorter-term deal. But if the Mets are unable to sign Alonso, they may ultimately pivot to Alex Bregman or Nolan Arenado.
It will be interesting to see how the Mets approach this situation.
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