MLB rumors: Why Mets’ Pete Alonso faces ‘biggest skepticism’ in free agency
We are getting right into the most heated part of the MLB season as there is about a month remaining before the playoffs. Division and Wild Card races are heating up as teams desperately try to get into playoff position. It’s a fun time of year, and the next couple months of baseball will be action-packed. However, it’s never too early to starting thinking about MLB free agency, and New York Mets first basemen Pete Alonso will be a free agent.
Pete Alonso and the Mets are firmly in the playoff discussion right now as they are three games back of a Wild Card spot, so there is still a lot to play for. However, after the season, the future will be unknown for Alonso. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Alonso in the free agent facing the “biggest skepticism.”
“Biggest skepticism: Pete Alonso,” Jeff Passan wrote. “Since Alonso’s debut with the Mets in 2019, he has hit 219 home runs. The only player with more is Aaron Judge at 223. Alonso’s 569 RBIs lead the big leagues during that stretch; his 814 games played rank third. His weighted on-base average places him directly behind Rafael Devers and Jose Ramirez and ahead of Matt Olson and Ketel Marte. It is fair to say that over the past six years, Alonso has been one of the best 20 hitters in baseball. Even this year, when his numbers have receded some, his wOBA is 34th in MLB.”
A big reason for the skepticism surrounding Alonso is his position. He is a force when it comes to his offensive power, but there are other aspects at play here.
“So how does an elite offensive player breed skepticism?” Passan said. “His position. (First base.) And how those who occupy it age. (Not well, typically.) And his defense there. (Suboptimal.) And its value compared to other positions. (Much less.) And his cost. (He turned down more than $150 million last year.) And how that compares to his peers. (Freddie Freeman, arguably the best of them, received $162 million over six years.)”
Pete Alonso still has a lot to offer
© Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
While there are some aspects that might not be attractive to teams, Pete Alonso has still been a good bat throughout his career, and because of that, he is going to receive attention.
“And yet here’s the truth about Alonso: In a league where so few players can hit, he is consistently among the best at doing so, and 30 teams will not ignore that in free agency,” Passan concluded. “Perhaps Alonso won’t get paid $200 million — his batted-ball profile this year has regressed marginally — but any notion that he’s going to fall through the cracks ignores the comfort any team gets putting a slugger with superior bat control into the middle of its lineup.”
There is still some time before we really have to start focusing on MLB free agency, but it’s never too early to start thinking about it. Right now, Alonso and the Mets are thinking about how they are going to erase their three-game deficit in the Wild Card standings so that they can make a playoff appearance this season.
The post MLB rumors: Why Mets’ Pete Alonso faces ‘biggest skepticism’ in free agency appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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