New York Mets fans may have seen something coming this offseason, but likely not this: Pete Alonso’s contract talks are reportedly “worse” than Juan Soto’s, according to Mets owner Steven Cohen.
Cohen made his comments during an appearance at the Mets’ Amazin’ Day at Citi Field, where he was joined by general manager David Stearns and manager Carlos Mendoza. Prior to questions, the crowd erupted in a “We want Pete!” chant, referring to the free agent first baseman, who has spent his entire career with the Mets.
Cohen, who is notorious for his frankness, told the crowd, “Hold that for the end, OK?” before going on to discuss the team’s negotiations with Alonso, who has yet to reach a deal.
The Mets offered a “significant” deal to Alonso, but the negotiations have been difficult, according to Cohen. He described the structures presented by his agent, Scott Boras, as “highly asymmetric against us” and “I don’t like the negotiations, I don’t like what’s been presented to us, and maybe that changes… I’ll always stay flexible.”
The comments were met with a round of applause from the crowd, with Stearns adding, “We all love Pete, and we’ve said that many times. I think as we’ve gone through this process, we’ve continued to express that.”
The news comes after the Mets signed Soto to a record-breaking $765 million deal, leaving Alonso as one of the top players remaining on the market. The Toronto Blue Jays have also been linked to Alonso, but a deal has yet to be reached.