If I had to define the word “disaster” with a baseball team, I think I would use the 2023 New York Mets. After signing several free agents (including Justin Verlander), the club was ready to win this season.
You know the rest: the defeats kept coming, so much so that they were on the seller’s side at the deadline. Verlander left for Houston, Max Scherzer was sent to Texas and many other veterans were traded.
That said, there is one player who has not left despite the rumors: Pete Alonso. Word got around that the Brewers had interest and negotiated, but the two teams couldn’t come to an agreement.
We suspected that everything was going to be re-evaluated after the season, but…
As Jon Heyman notes, it would be quite “unusual” to see the Brewers pay top dollar for Alonso as things currently stand. It is not the house’s practice to pay top dollar for a rental player.
If we manage to come to an agreement with him for a contract extension, the club could be willing to go for him, but again, there are doubts.
Because in reality, the checkbook in Milwaukee is less heavy than that of Steve Cohen. We are talking about a small market club that would have to fight against the richest owner in the Majors.
What can the Brewers offer Alonso that the Mets can’t, money-wise? The answer is quite simple: nothing.
So, unless Alonso really wants to go play in Milwaukee or David Stearns wants to give his former club a nice gift, the Brewers don’t seem to have the big end of the stick in the story.
It’s up to them to try to convince Alonso… but let’s just say I have my doubts.
