Something is clearly going on with Pete Alonso and the Mets. And Mike Francesa does not like it.
The WFAN legend defended the slugger Monday on his latest BetRivers podcast, sounding off after the latest in a parade of reports indicating the Amazins want to trade Alonso.
“There is a little bit of a campaign going on here,” Francesa said. “I don’t know if it’s a campaign to get him to get off the dime and not ask for an outrageous amount of money. His agent, if he is doing his job, is going to bring up the (Francisco) Lindor contract. Why wouldn’t he?
“Alonso is 28, he’s going to be 29 before he starts the next season. They don’t want to give him a contract that long. OK. I’m not saying Alonso didn’t change a little bit, I’m not saying he didn’t have some confrontations. But this is a campaign, and it has been patently unfair. The Mets will miss Alonso a lot if they get rid of him. I think they had better get a lot for him if they let him go.”
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The industry expectation is the Mets will trade Alonso this offseason, according to a weekend report by USA Today. That report came after The Athletic reported the Mets had talks with the Brewers prior to the MLB trade deadline. And there have been consistent whispers of clubhouse issues involving Alonso, albeit without any substance or verification.
The Mets gave Lindor a 10-year, $341 million deal prior to the 2021 season. And the Yankees gave Aaron Judge a nine-year, $360 million deal prior to this season. Alonso figures to have his asking price somewhere in the middle. He has one more arbitration year coming before being a free agent after the 2024 season.
The Mets have already extended cornerstone players in Edwin Diaz and Jeff McNeil. So the lack of an Alonso extension — since owner Steve Cohen clearly has the money — has led to the perception the Mets do not want to pay Alonso what he wants. Or that they do not want him at all.
James Kratch can be reached at james.kratch@xlmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @jameskratch.
