Keep in mind that Cody Bellinger did not re-sign with the Cubs last offseason until Feb. 27. He inked the kind of three-year deal with opt outs after each season that the Mets indicated they were open to doing with Pete Alonso.
The Mets were not deadset on signing J.D. Martinez last year, but his price fell to a place of comfort while they still had a DH opening and so on March 23 they reached an agreement.
Thus, there is still calendar left for the Mets to reunite with Alonso unless: 1. The Mets were making offers designed for Alonso to refuse because they actually never wanted him back. 2. Alonso is so annoyed now that he doesn’t want to be back. 3. The Mets acquire a first baseman or a third baseman (with Mark Vientos flipping to first) that blocks Alonso. 4. Steve Cohen actually has a hard payroll budget and reaches it.
With agreements with Jesse Winker and A.J. Minter, the Mets have pushed to a $296 million luxury tax projection (Cot’s Contracts). They were at $348 million last year. I will continue to believe (until proven otherwise) that if David Stearns proposes something he believes makes sense to win now without disrupting the big picture (notably no long-term agreements with anyone but young stars) that Cohen will be open to it.
