Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns appeared on the latest episode of the Foul Territory podcast, and was asked what the latest was in terms of a potential Pete Alonso extension.
"Let's set it up for tomorrow," Stearns joked. "Can we do that tomorrow? Can you broker the deal?"
In all seriousness, Stearns seemed to indicate that there will be no contract extension before this season, or even during it, and the likely event seems to be Alonso hitting the free agent market next winter.
"Pete is a really good player," Stearns said. "He's performed on a big stage here for a long time…I know how important he is to our fanbase. I think where we are right now, where Pete is, is everyone is gonna focus on this year. The best thing for us is for Pete to have a great year. The best thing for Pete is for Pete to have a great year. And then we'll go forward from there."
Still, that doesn't mean the Mets wouldn't try to sign Alonso in free agency, as Stearns made it clear that the team is "invested" in keeping their homegrown slugger in Queens for life.
"We're certainly invested in trying to keep Pete a Met," Stearns said. "I'm hopeful that, over time, we'll be able to work that out."
