With Mets star Pete Alonso set to hit free agency, could the Yankees be preparing to pounce in the event they lose the Juan Soto sweepstakes?
According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, “one backup plan” for the Yanks involves Alonso “plus pitching stars.”
Heyman notes that retaining Soto is their “top priority.”
The expectation is that Soto, who will be entering his age-26 season in 2025, will command a deal of at least $500 million. And it will not be a surprise if his contract nears or eclipses $600 million.
The Mets, who have tons of money coming off the books and whose payroll is in strong shape in the coming years, are expected to pursue Soto heavily.
As far as Alonso, president of baseball operations David Stearns reiterated at his end-of-season news conference that the Mets would like him to return.
“He’s a great Met,” Stearns said. “I hope we have him back. I think we both understand this is a process, and everyone’s got their own interest. And Pete deserves to go out into the free agent market and see what’s out there, and then ultimately make the best choice for him and his family.”
Stearns added:
“How Pete is as a person is important,” Stearns explained. “What he means to this franchise is important. Who he is as a player is also important — what he contributes on the field. There’s no magic formula to this.
“There’s no equation that spits out what all of that is for us. And so there’s judgment involved, there’s evaluating the market involved. And we’ll see how this process goes throughout the offseason.”
Regarding Soto, multiple reports have indicated that he prefers to remain on the East Coast, which could potentially mean a Yankees vs. Mets battle for his services.
