Alonso extension? It's a polar bear-sized mystery

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Now that Jeff McNeil has a new $50 million contract in hand, Pete Alonso jokes, McNeil will be the one buying dinner when the buddies meet for grub over the course of the season. But perhaps that won’t be the case for long. With two years left under team control himself, Alonso remains a prime extension candidate at the start of Spring Training -- a time when such deals tend to come together.

Asked Wednesday if he has spoken to the Mets about a new contract, Alonso politely declined comment. His representatives and Mets officials have also opted not to speak about the issue, leaving an air of mystery over the Alonso situation. Have the two sides talked? Is there mutual interest in an extension? The answers remain publicly unknown.

The only hints Alonso gave Wednesday revolved around his love for New York City -- something he has stressed since arriving on the scene as a rookie in 2019.

“There’s a lot of speculation, but for me, I’m just really happy to be here,” said Alonso, who is coming off a 40-homer season and recently signed a one-year, $14.5 million deal, setting a record for arbitration-eligible first basemen at least two years from free agency. “I’m really happy to be a Met, and I’m just really looking forward to this year.”

Alonso’s comments echoed those of his teammate, Max Scherzer, who has gone through multiple successful contract negotiations in his career, most recently raising the bar for pitchers with the highest average annual value ($43.3 million) in Major League history.

Alonso, whose closest recent point of comparison is Braves first baseman Matt Olson’s eight-year, $168 million deal, could eventually be in line for a payday worth $200 million or more. But Scherzer cautioned Alonso not to think about things through the lens of dollars and cents.

“When you walk through those doors, make sure you know what you’re here for,” Scherzer said of his advice to younger players such as Alonso. “Are you here for the contract or are you here to win? And if you’re here to win, trust me, the contract will happen.”

Britton on Mets’ radar
The Mets were one of six teams that sent a representative to watch free-agent reliever Zack Britton throw a bullpen session Wednesday, according to a source.

A marriage between the Mets and Britton would make sense for several reasons. Left-handed relief was an issue for the Mets throughout 2022, and although the team patched that hole with an offseason trade for Brooks Raley, they have little lefty depth behind him on the roster. Britton has been elite against same-sided hitters in his career, holding lefties to a .212/.294/.293 slash line. In addition, Britton is intimately familiar with Mets manager Buck Showalter, having played for him from 2011-18 in Baltimore.

But concerns also exist -- chief among them the fact that Britton is 35 years old and coming off Tommy John surgery. He hasn’t appeared in more than 22 games in a season since 2019. Moreover, the Mets have been mindful of dedicating bullpen space to younger, optionable relievers who can shuttle back and forth between Citi Field and Triple-A Syracuse.

Khalil Lee in camp
The Mets invited outfielder Khalil Lee to Major League camp, days after the team designated him for assignment and outrighted him to Triple-A Syracuse. Lee is under MLB investigation for an alleged assault incident in Syracuse, where police reportedly issued a warrant but have not arrested him or charged him with a crime.

“We’ll trust the process and let it run its course,” Showalter said. “He’ll be here shortly, and we’ll prepare him to start the season.”

Lee has little chance to make the team, as the Mets are likely to carry four outfielders on Opening Day: Mark Canha, Starling Marte, Brandon Nimmo and Tommy Pham. But the 24-year-old Lee could wind up back at Syracuse, where he hit .211/.326/.366 with 10 home runs last season.

Counting Lee, there are 62 players in Major League camp.

What’s in a number?
Two veterans have changed their jersey numbers to accommodate new teammates. Drew Smith, who formerly wore No. 62, switched to No. 40 so that José Quintana could have the number he’s used for most of his career. Darin Ruf also switched from No. 28 to No. 33 to accommodate Pham.