Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
The New York Mets could get their wish of signing New York Yankees superstar slugger Juan Soto in 2025 while also being able to retain their franchise player Pete Alonso, as a recent report suggests. The Mets have been heavily rumored to be a potential landing spot for Soto in the event that he hits free agency next winter.
Mets want top-10 hitter Juan Soto to join their ranks next season
Soto is thriving individually for the Yankees with eight home runs, hitting .325 with an American League-leading .439 on-base percentage. The Dominican MVP candidate is leading the Yankees to an AL-East best 19-12 record through the early portion of the year and they look like legitimate World Series contenders.
It may take a colossal collapse for Soto to jump ship next winter and seek greener pastures. If he does hit the open market, Mets owner Steve Cohen, who is known for and open to spending top dollar for elite talent and pushing the bounds of the team’s payroll, is in line to offer Soto a deal he theoretically won’t be able to refuse, as Jon Conahan of Fan Nation’s Inside the Pinstripes reported.
Mets could bring Soto on board and keep Pete Alonso too
Meanwhile, Alonso is on a one-year, $20.5 million dollar deal that he signed to avoid arbitration ahead of the 2024 campaign. While he’s been open about wanting to be a lifelong Met and the franchise has spoken highly of him, the fact remains that both parties have circled around a contract extension that has yet to materialize over the last two seasons.
Conahan relayed insights from The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, who affirmed that the Mets could realistically achieve their dream scenario of landing Soto and keeping Alonso on board:
Fair Territory!
YouTube: https://t.co/f4VnbPpu4P
Apple: https://t.co/7KxPoA2NzJ
Spotify: https://t.co/E6DCeFHeIGOn Pete Alonso’s pending free agency: pic.twitter.com/3lF38fvmFs
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) April 30, 2024
In a perfect world, the Mets could form the best-hitting duo in all of baseball. Many variables will determine if that becomes a reality or not. The Mets finishing with a season to show for will help lure Soto across the water from the Bronx to Queens, NY, and aid in retaining Alonso for the long haul.
