Mets Owner Steve Cohen May Regret Pete Alonso Snub

Since 2020, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen has won over fans and some of baseball’s best talent with his seemingly endless wallet.

But the prolonged and now publicly bitter free agency talks with first baseman Pete Alonso could bring his long honeymoon with Mets fans to an end.

Stearns Gets a Bronx Cheer in Flushing

Mets fans heaped praise on Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns when they pulled off the biggest baseball coup of the winter: the signing of former New York Yankee Juan Soto.

The move gave hope to Mets fans that they could finally shed their inferiority complex toward their big brother in the Bronx.

But at Saturday’s Amazin’ Day Mets fan fest, Stearns and Cohen got a taste of what’s to come if the Mets fail to deliver in the postseason.

Stearns was booed by fans after comments on Alonso in which he remarked that baseball “is a business” and expressed confidence in prospects coming through the pipeline.

The message was clear to fans in the audience: management has or more less given Pete the pink slip. Nevertheless, they made their demands known, chanting, “Let’s sign Pete.”

Bank of Cohen Hits Withdrawal Limit

As the boo birds took over the room, the real boss then commanded the mic. Cohen spoke candidly — and quite bitterly — about the talks with Alonso, stating that they’ve been more challenging than those over Soto.

Expressing his frustration, Cohen said, “I don’t like the negotiations. I don’t like what’s been presented to us.”

One source of tension may be Alonso’s agent, Scott Boras, who also represents Soto. While Cohen met Boras’s record-breaking demands for Soto and then some, he may now feel that Boras is pushing too far, taking him for a chump.

The Mets and Boras appear to be waging a proxy war in the media — with the Toronto Blue Jays being used as a tool.

Rumors suggest the Mets could pursue Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr., while other reports claim Alonso was close to a deal to join Toronto.

The Mets Need to Make More Moves

While Alonso remains a fan favorite and a reliable home-run hitter, his production has declined, making a long-term deal risky for the Mets. Even a short-term agreement could cost them a shot at Vladdy Jr., a much bigger prize.

At the same time, Mets management may be mistaken in thinking time is on their side. Yes, they’ve locked up Soto with a 15-year deal, but their window to contend may be much shorter.

To overcome the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers — who are hoarding top talent from three continents — they’ll need more firepower.

The Mets have already balked at pursuing top free-agent pitchers, leaving them with a rotation that isn’t championship-caliber.

And while their lineup is strong, it’s not without weaknesses. Beyond Soto, Francisco Lindor, and Mark Vientos, the offensive depth thins out.

Alonso, for all his flaws, remains a workhorse. Last season, he played all 162 games and hit 34 home runs. Of course, that came with batting .240 and striking out 172 times.

But the bottom line is this: adding Soto while losing Alonso might only make the Mets marginally better.

If the Mets fail to get past the Dodgers this postseason — a likely scenario — they will absolutely have no choice but to go all in on Vladdy Jr. in the offseason. And if they fail to land him, next year’s Amazin’ Day could get even rowdier.