MLB insider offers massive Mets updates on Pete Alonso, 2024 plans

It appears the New York Mets aren't yet ready to move on from All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso or give up on the 2024 season. 

MLB insider Andy Martino of SNY reported Thursday that "the Mets' strong expectation today" is that Alonso will remain with the club through at least the start of the 2024 campaign. 

Alonso is eligible to reach free agency after next season, has been the subject of trade rumors throughout the summer and most recently was linked with the Milwaukee Brewers. However, Martino noted that Mets executives are "surprised and confused" so many believe it's a foregone conclusion the club will trade the slugger who turns 29 years old in December this offseason. 

"While not ruling out the chance of the proverbial being 'blown away' by an offer this winter, the team does not plan to actively shop Alonso," Martino directly said. 

Amid the Mets' fire sale that included acquiring prospects for co-aces Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander ahead of the summer trade deadline, Scherzer claimed he heard from general manager Billy Eppler that the Amazins now saw 2024 as being "more of a kind of transitory year" with the plan to instead compete in either 2025 or 2026. Multiple insiders have since shared they cannot envision big-spending Mets owner Steve Cohen punting on 2024.

"The Mets are serious about fielding a competitive roster next season, and see Alonso as a necessary part of that," Martino added on Thursday. "Their current inclination is to keep him until free agency, then negotiate with him as they did with (All-Star closer) Edwin Diaz and (outfielder) Brandon Nimmo (who they retained) and (ace) Jacob deGrom (who they did not).

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported last week that the Brewers and Chicago Cubs expressed interest in Alonso before the trade deadline. Per Martino, the Mets are "adamant in insisting that talks (with those clubs) never became serious."

While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Mets manager Buck Showalter said he's "amazed at how tough (Alonso) is mentally and emotionally" with the 28-year-old's future a constant topic in articles and on sports talk radio. Martino explained on Thursday that "Mets officials feel bad for Alonso that he has had to read and hear trade rumors" and said it's "hard to find anyone in the Citi Field offices who believes that Alonso will be elsewhere in 2024." 

Cohen is expected to hire former Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns as the Mets' new team president this offseason. Stearns isn't in the Citi Field offices today and could feel that Alonso is worth more to the organization as a tradeable asset than a member of the 2024 lineup if contract talks between the club and the player's camp go nowhere through Christmas time.