Big-spending New York Mets owner Steve Cohen recently made it known he is “not tone-deaf” and “totally” understands that Mets fans want him to show All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso the money either before or after Alonso reaches free agency this fall.
MLB writers R.J. Anderson, Dayn Perry and Mike Axisa of CBS Sports suggested on Thursday that Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns may try to convince Cohen to spend his money differently.
“Stearns does not strike me as the kind of executive who wants to commit a long-term deal to a right-right first baseman — even one as accomplished and popular as Alonso,” Anderson explained. “…I suspect Stearns will win out. I don’t think Cohen would hire him after all these years just to limit his control over baseball operations decisions.”
Anderson isn’t alone in that thinking. Back in January, ESPN’s Paul Hembekides pointed out that the Milwaukee Brewers had seven different Opening Day first basemen across Stearns’ eight seasons as an executive with that club. Stearns indicated earlier this month that Alonso posting monster numbers in 2024 would ultimately benefit both the slugger and the Mets, but Perry still doesn’t see Stearns “committing to a first baseman, even a popular home-run artist like Alonso, well into his 30s.”
Alonso turns 30 years old this December.
“That’s perhaps especially the case given that Alonso’s low batting averages and strikeout issues don’t bode well for his aging curve,” Perry added. Most recently, Alonso finished last season with a .217 batting average and a .318 on-base percentage.
Meanwhile, Axisa mentioned that “Stearns is the type who maximizes value whenever possible” and will “trade popular players even in the middle of a postseason race.” Like the others, Axisa envisions Stearns will at least try to talk Cohen out of overpaying for Alonso.
Nervous Mets fans hoping for a different outcome should know that CBS Sports’ Matt Snyder believes that Stearns will eventually realize he’s not in Milwaukee anymore and “can spend to keep Alonso around while also building the foundation of the ballclub from the minors on up to the majors the way he wants” thanks to Cohen’s fortune.
Cohen thus far has largely handed personnel-related decisions to Stearns. Whether or not that changes regarding Alonso’s future could determine where the “Polar Bear” plays home games as soon as this summer and before the trade deadline passes.
