NL East

Pete Alonso reportedly turned down the New York Mets' counteroffer in free agency.

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon, Alonso's camp proposed a "three-year deal with a high average annual value and opt-outs" exclusively to the Mets. Alonso then rejected New York's counteroffer, which was a straight three-year offer.

The report of Alonso rejecting the offer comes as his free-agent market continues to get bigger. On Thursday, Rosenthal and Sammon reported that three teams have engaged in discussions about Alonso, one of those teams being the Toronto Blue Jays.

According to SNY's Andy Martino, the Mets "have pivoted to plan B, post-Alonso" and are expecting him to sign elsewhere. Martino also reported on Wednesday that the Mets had a conversation with the Blue Jays "checking in" on first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s trade availability.

But Toronto might not be willing to give up its star, even if it lands a replacement for him at first base in Alonso. Rosenthal and Sammon noted that if the Blue Jays sign Alonso, they'd prefer to keep Guerrero as well. In that scenario, they could pivot Guerrero to third base, where he played 12 games last year, or use either player as a designated hitter.

Guerrero will be with the Blue Jays for at least one more season, as he and Toronto agreed to a $28.5 million salary for 2025, avoiding arbitration.

The pairing of Alonso and Guerrero would be quite a boost to the Blue Jays lineup. Alonso had 34 homers and 88 RBI with a .240 batting average a season ago while Guerrero had 30 home runs, 103 RBI and a .323 batting average.

There's still time for New York to make another offer for Alonso and keep him in a Mets uniform for a seventh consecutive season, but it seems they'll have to move rather swiftly as he begins discussions with other teams.

The New York Mets would "love" to figure out a trade for Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. "in a perfect world," according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

SNY's Andy Martino reported Wednesday that the Mets were "checking in" with the Blue Jays regarding Guerrero earlier in the offseason, but noted that the possibility of an agreement being reached was "far from the most likely" outcome.

The 25-year-old has made All-Star appearances in each of the past four seasons with Toronto.

Four-time All-Star Pete Alonso has served as New York's first baseman since 2019, but his current free agency makes a return to the team uncertain.

In fact, Martino reported Thursday that the Mets "expect that Alonso will sign elsewhere" after the two sides were unable to figure out a new contract.

If New York doesn't view Alonso as an option anymore, Guerrero seems to be on the team's radar in an ideal scenario. The 25-year-old wrapped up a strong 2024 campaign, finishing No. 6 in American League MVP voting.

In 159 appearances, Guerrero hit .323 with 30 home runs, 44 doubles and 103 RBIs. His .544 slugging percentage and .940 OPS both represented the second-highest marks of his career.

Vladdy Jr. homers for the day's first run 💥

(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/olNsAfhUb1

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) August 3, 2024

Guerrero will earn $28.5 million for the 2025 season before becoming an unrestricted free agent, via Spotrac. If the Blue Jays aren't confident that they'll be able to retain him, they could explore trade opportunities.

A long-term agreement between Guerrero and Toronto can still be reached, as Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith revealed on Thursday that both sides are "actively negotiating" a new extension.

The Mets have already made a major offseason addition, signing superstar Juan Soto to a 15-year contract worth $765 million.

They appear to have their eye on Guerrero as well, even if a trade may not ultimately materialize.

The New York Mets can maintain their leverage in any negotiations with Pete Alonso by keeping their options open, and they reportedly are doing just that.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Thursday that New York has "discussed the possibility of other free agents taking first-base reps" as discussions continue with Alonso. Passan also highlighted the team's leverage since "there are no others in the market for a first baseman at $25 million-plus a year."

What's more, Andy Martino of SNY noted the team has "pivoted to Plan B."

https://twitter.com/martinonyc/status/1879959082477711532

That New York seemingly holds all the cards follows similar reports in recent weeks.

Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of the New York Post pointed out first basemen such as Paul Goldschmidt, Jake Burger, Nathaniel Lowe, Josh Naylor, Carlos Santana and Christian Walker finding homes this offseason means there are few teams looking for high-profile players at the position at this point.

Along those lines, Martino previously reported the Mets are "holding the line on both the length and dollars of their short-term offer, which includes an opt-out after the first year."

It's not an ideal scenario for the free agent to be in, especially since his resume suggests he would have more leverage than he seemingly does.

After all, he is a four-time All-Star with three seasons of at least 40 home runs. Even though one of them wasn't in the 2024 campaign, he was still productive while slashing .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs and 88 RBI for a Mets team that made the playoffs.

Alonso would bring significant offensive pop to any team he signed with and would be quite the one-two punch alongside Juan Soto if he remained in New York.

But the team is at least keeping its options open as the offseason progresses.

There are reportedly still ongoing conversations between the New York Mets and Pete Alonso, although the team is hoping for a relatively quick solution.

Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Wednesday the two sides are "making progress on at least the structure of a proposed deal that's expected to be for three years and include at least one opt out."

Still, they also noted there remains a "substantial financial hurdle" and that the Mets want a decision "soon" in case they have to focus elsewhere if they cannot come to terms on a deal.

While Alonso is a four-time All-Star who has helped anchor the Mets' lineup in recent years, he may not have as much leverage as one would assume.

Sherman and Heyman explained that first basemen such as Paul Goldschmidt, Jake Burger, Nathaniel Lowe, Josh Naylor, Carlos Santana and Christian Walker have all found homes this offseason, while the Detroit Tigers addressed the position by moving Colt Keith.

That doesn't leave that many teams with obvious openings at the position, so the Mets aren't exactly bidding against half the league in these negotiations.

That may be why they are "holding the line on both the length and dollars of their short-term offer, which includes an opt-out after the first year," per Andy Martino of SNY. Martino noted New York would like to bring Alonso back at the right price but will move in a different direction if need be following the negotiations.

The 30-year-old brings plenty to the table as an offensive force.

His resume includes the four All-Star Games, a National League Rookie of the Year and three seasons with at least 40 home runs, including when he launched 53 as a rookie in 2019.

He slashed .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs and 88 RBI last season after finishing the 2023 campaign with 46 long balls and 118 RBI. Alonso also led the league in RBI with 131 in 2022 after leading the league in homers as a rookie.

It seems like New York is fine with him fitting in alongside Juan Soto in the lineup in the immediate future but isn't as willing to commit too many resources to him long term at this stage of his career.

On the first day of MLB's international signing period, the New York Mets agreed to deals with 15 players.

The Mets announced the deals on Wednesday, headlined by 17-year-old shortstop Elian Peña.

The @Mets have agreed to terms with 15 international free-agent players on the first day of the 2025 international signing period, including the no. 1 Latin American prospect in the class according to Baseball America, Elian Peña.

The full signing class ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/LMaK3qwsJo

— Mets Player Development (@MetsPlayerDev) January 15, 2025

Per MLB.com, Peña is the No. 3 overall player in the international class with his hit tool being cited as his "calling card."

Dan Martin of the New York Post confirmed that Peña received a $5 million signing bonus from the Mets, who had a $6.3 million bonus pool.

The only players ranked ahead of Peña on the MLB.com list of international free agents are Rōki Sasaki and Josuar De Jesus Gonzalez.

Sasaki has a Jan. 23 deadline to agree to terms with an MLB club or go back to the Chiba Lotte Marines for the 2025 season. There's no indication he won't get a deal done, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays the three finalists.

De Jesus Gonzalez received a $3 million signing bonus from the San Francisco Giants, per Baseball America's Ben Badler.

The $5 million price tag for Peña could end up being the highest amount for any player in the international class after Sasaki. The Blue Jays and Padres both have $6.3 million in bonus money available, while the Dodgers have $5.1 million.

Teams are allowed to acquire up to 60 percent of their bonus pool money via trades, but all trades for bonus money have to be done in increments of $250,000.

While it's plausible teams won't use all of their bonus money on the first day, a majority of agreements and signings for the top-level international free agents will be done on Wednesday.

Along with having a plus hit tool, Peña is also regarded for having plus fielding ability as a shortstop. MLB.com cited him as having "the actions and feel" for short, along with smooth hands that "make it likely" he will play most of his time at the position.

Peña and the other members of the international free-agent class will join a Mets farm system led by right-handed pitcher Brandon Sproat, outfielder Jett Williams and outfielder Drew Gilbert.

Given their need for a first baseman going into the 2025 season with Pete Alonso still available as a free agent, the New York Mets checked in with the Toronto Blue Jays about a potential Vladimir Guerrero Jr. trade.

Per SNY's Andy Martino, the Mets conversation with the Blue Jays was described as "checking in" on Guerrero's availability.

The Mets have already had a memorable offseason by signing Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract.

Adding Guerrero to the mix would only increase the positive vibes in Queens going into the 2025 season, but there's no indication the Blue Jays are shopping the four-time All-Star at this point.

There will continue to be questions about Guerrero's short-term future until there's a resolution to his contract situation with Toronto. He avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $28.5 million deal in 2025.

Guerrero is entering his final year of team control before becoming a free agent next offseason. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported in December that Guerrero and the Blue Jays were in discussions about a long-term contract.

The one-year deal to avoid arbitration doesn't prevent Guerrero or the Blue Jays from continuing contract talks. Rosenthal's report noted the perception within MLB is the Blue Jays "are desperate to do something big."

Toronto did make strong bids for Soto and Shohei Ohtani in each of the past two offseasons. The Blue Jays are reportedly one of three finalists for Rōki Sasaki, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

If the Blue Jays have another down year in 2025 after finishing 74-88 last season, they could look to move Guerrero prior to the trade deadline if the two sides don't agree to a long-term extension between now and this summer.

Guerrero finished sixth in AL MVP voting last season after hitting .323/.396/.544 with 30 homers and 103 RBI in 159 games.

Martino's report noted the Mets are "holding the line" on their offer to Alonso, which includes an opt-out after the first season. It's unknown how much money they are offering him.

As things currently stand, the Mets will go into this season with Mark Vientos playing first base and Brett Baty at third base. A reunion with Alonso or acquiring Guerrero would keep Vientos at third base.

Pete Alonso appears to be willing to bend the knee a little bit in order to stay with the New York Mets.

Jim Duquette of SiriusXM reported that the first baseman's camp offered the Mets a three year deal with opt-outs that was only available to New York. Will Sammon of The Athletic confirmed the rumor.

"League sources confirmed a report from SiriusXM analyst Jim Duquette, a former New York Mets general manager, saying Alonso's camp offered the Mets a three-year deal with opt-outs. Duquette reported the offer was only available to the Mets," Sammon wrote. "The former exec added that Alonso's agent Scott Boras declined to comment."

Alonso is a four-time All-Star and has been a major piece of the Mets lineup for several seasons. He hit .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs and 88 RBIs in 2024 and helped lead the Mets to the NLCS.

The Mets made the biggest splash of the offseason, signing outfielder Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million deal to be the new franchise face. While the core should center around Soto and shortstop Francisco Lindor, Alonso could remain a stable right-handed power bat and first baseman for a Mets team hoping to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers for supremacy in the National League.

Alonso had already turned down a three-year, $90 million deal from the Mets earlier in the offseason. The San Francisco Giants have also been linked to Alonso and could lure him away from New York.

Duquette and Sammon's report seems to indicate that Alonso would desire a larger deal from San Francisco and that the Mets may have the ball in their corner for retaining Alonso's services.

The New York Mets could show interest in free-agent right fielder Anthony Santander if the team can't re-sign Pete Alonso, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

"If Pete Alonso does not go back to Flushing, Queens, and if Santander is still unsigned if and when Alonso goes somewhere else, Santander becomes a viable option for the Mets," Morosi said on Thursday (0:38 mark).

How interested are the Mets in free agent Anthony Santander?@jonmorosi | #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/fJkyWezdQo

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 9, 2025

Morosi noted that the Mets currently aren't considered "the frontrunners" for the 30-year-old, though.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Dec. 26 that there was a "sizable gap" in negotiations between Alonso and New York's front office at the time.

On Tuesday, USA Today's Bob Nightengale revealed that the first baseman returning to the Mets on a short-term deal appeared to be a "likely outcome."

While Alonso posted a career-low .788 OPS in 2024, he still hit 34 home runs and has launched 226 homers since his rookie season in 2019.

Santander is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he earned the first All-Star nod of his career. In 155 games with the Baltimore Orioles, the switch-hitter racked up 44 home runs and 102 RBIs to go along with a .235/.308/.506 slash line.

Tony Taters #Walkoff!

The @Orioles win it on Anthony Santander's 42nd home run of the season! pic.twitter.com/DhmIZXT8TF

— MLB (@MLB) September 19, 2024

He should have several options in free agency, as Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reported that the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels and Toronto Blue Jays have all expressed interest in him.

If the Mets can't agree to terms with Alonso, they'll likely enter the fray.

The New York Mets have met with free agent relief pitcher Tanner Scott amid their search for bullpen help, according to The Athletic's Will Sammon.

Scott is considered one of MLB's top unsigned relievers after recording a career-high 22 saves during a 2024 campaign split between the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres.

ESPN's Jeff Passan recently reported that Scott is expected to command "a four-year deal for $15 million or more a year" in free agency.

That contract would be outlier for Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, who has not offered a bullpen player multiple guaranteed seasons since joining the franchise in October 2023, as noted by Sammon.

The Mets still want to add "one or two relievers" this offseason, per Sammon.

According to Sammon, "the expectation is for the team to check out all segments of the relief market, including trades."

Jeff Hoffman remains on the market, but has received interest from teams as a starter, per Passan.

If the Mets decide to pursue Scott, they won't be the only team interested. He has been connected to the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox by The Athletic's David O'Brien and MassLive's Chris Cotillo, with Cotillo describing the market for him as "crowded."

It’s a crowded market for Tanner Scott, who is going to set the slow-moving relief market when he does sign. The Red Sox have poked around on the high-end relievers and have cash to burn. @Sean_McAdam has heard a $20M AAV is in play. I’ve heard likely multiple big-market bidders.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) January 6, 2025

Mets starters ranked 12th in MLB with a 3.91 ERA last season, while the bullpen finished the campaign at No. 17 with a 4.03 ERA and 39 saves.

Scott, who earned his first career All-Star nod after posting a 1.75 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 72.0 innings pitched last season, could help the Mets improve those numbers.

He finished the season with one of the lowest average exit velocities in the MLB at 84.3 miles per hour, and struck out Shohei Ohtani multiple times during the Padres' division series against the Dodgers.

Stearns and the Mets got a good look at him during the campaign as he recorded three saves in five outings against New York. Scott allowed just one hit and two runs while striking out 10 in 6.2 innings against the Mets.

The Mets have spent a busy offseason shoring up their batting lineup with the addition of Juan Soto, while adding converted reliever Clay Holmes and re-signing Sean Manaea to join Kodai Senga in the rotation.

The bullpen has meanwhile remained relatively unchanged. Edwin Díaz returned from 2023 knee surgery to prove himself a reliable closer last season, but the Mets could use another go-to option to close out games.

Adding both Scott and Díaz, who agreed to a five-year, $102 million deal with the team in 2022, would make for an expensive bullpen. The Mets may be willing to consider the cost if they believe a stronger bullpen is key to contending next fall.

David Wright will become the 11th player to have his number retired by the New York Mets.

The Mets announced Wright will be inducted into their Hall of Fame and have his No. 5 retired by the club during a ceremony on July 19 when they host the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field.

Wright issued a statement about having his jersey retired by the club after it was announced.

The Mets announced the team will retire David Wright’s No. 5 and he will enter the Mets Hall of Fame in a pre-game ceremony on July 19 prior to the 4:10 p.m. game against the Cincinnati Reds. pic.twitter.com/N4KsphJuge

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) January 6, 2025

Wright spent his entire career with the Mets starting with being drafted No. 38 overall in 2001 MLB draft. He made his big-league debut at the age of 21 on July 21, 2004.

There was a period of nine seasons from 2005 to '13 when Wright was arguably the best player in Major League Baseball. He hit .302/.384/.505, averaged 23 homers per season and ranked fourth among all players in FanGraphs' wins above replacement during that span.

Wright made the All-Star team seven times, finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting four times and won two Gold Glove awards during his career. He had 24 at-bats for the Mets during the 2015 World Series against the Kansas City Royals.

Injury woes took a toll on Wright in the final years of his career. He played 134 games during the 2014 season, but only appeared in 77 games over the next four years combined before retiring after the 2018 season.

Wright is the Mets' all-time leader in hits (1,777), total bases (2,945), doubles (390), RBI (970), extra-base hits (658) and walks (762). His 242 homers are second in franchise history, behind only Daryl Strawberry (252).

Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Willie Mays, Keith Hernandez, Jerry Koosman, Mike Piazza, Tom Seaver, Gil Hodges and Casey Stengel are all Mets legends who have had their jersey retired by the franchise. No. 42 is also retired across MLB in honor of Jackie Robinson.