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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed a 14-year, $500,000,000 contract extension with the Toronto Blue Jays in April. Despite the Blue Jays first baseman's blockbuster deal, an MLB sportscaster doesn't think it will influence Pete Alonso's ontract value.
Alonso, the first baseman of the New York Mets, declined a qualifying offer last season to become a free agent. He later re-signed with them for a 2-year, $54M contract, with an opt-out after year one, for which he will bag a $30M salary. The 30-year-old had reportedly turned down a $158M extension in the past.
Sportscaster Chris Rose and former Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe delved into whether Alonso could recoup the lost $158M contract in Tuesday's episode of "Baseball Today." While Plouffe is confident Alonso can bag a $120M contract and recoup somewhere close to $158M, Rose is diffident.
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"I don't think so," Rose replied (from 23:53). "I don't think it has as much to do with Alonso as it does with the position. Now, people will say, 'Hold on, didn’t Vladdy just sign a $500 million deal?' Yes, this is totally different. Vladdy is 26. Alonzo is going to enter free agency, he turns 31 in December."
Rose added that Guerrero Jr. is a better defender than Alonso. He also pointed out that Guerrero Jr. bagged a massive contract due to outside factors that did not apply to Alonso.
"There was pressure on that organization, thrown at them from an entire country, an entire country, to keep one of their own, a guy born in Canada, to make sure that he stayed the face of the franchise. That is not the case with Pete Alonso in New York," Rose added.
The sportscaster clarified that Pete Alonso is beloved by the Mets fanbase. He also pointed out that Freddie Freeman was the last free agent first baseman to secure a 9-figure contract ($162M). Freeman was also similar in age to Alonso, but Rose said the talent level is very different.
Why does Trevor Plouffe believe Pete Alonso can bag a $120M contract?
Pete Alonso's 2025 season for the New York Mets has been stellar. Despite having the likes of Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, Alonso has been the best performer for the Metropolitan baseball club.
Justin Verlander's brother, Ben, an MLB analyst, picked Alonso as the front runner for 2025 NL MVP over Kyle Tucker and Fernando Tatis Jr. As such, Plouffe is confident that Alonso will recoup $158M if he elects free agency after this season.
"I mean, if he continues like this, yeah, Chris. I mean, at least that," Plouffe said (22:46). "I think teams are still hesitant on the years with him for some reason, and I do think that he means the most and is most valuable to the team that he's on. So that kind of takes his negotiating leverage down a little bit."
Plouffe said that Alonso is an excellent player, particularly due to his ability to drive in runners on base. Plouffe noted that Alonos's 2024 season didn't meet expectations, but he is confident about 2025.
"Made 30 this year. If he finishes somewhere in the nines with his OPS, he's probably going to hit 30, he's probably going to drive in 100 runs. I gotta believe some team is going to go four years, 120," Plouffe added.
The former Twins third baseman even made a bold prediction, claiming Alonso might play for the Yankees next year. Currently, Paul Goldschmidt, who is on a 1-year contract, occupies the position for the Bronx Bombers.
