The elephant(s) in the room...

Also - the Mets have work to do in their bullpen and their utility infield/outfield roles

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What’s up with the Mets? 🍎

• $23.25 million of Sean Manaea’s new contract with the Mets is deferred, with payouts of $2.35 million beginning annually in 2035 through 2044 (Athletic)

• The industry believes Pete Alonso will eventually sign with the Mets (Rosenthal | Foul Territory)

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Rumor Mill 💨

• The Rangers are prioritizing re-signing RHP Kirby Yates (Athletic)

• The Mets showed interest in Joc Pederson before he signed with the Rangers (New York Post)

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Do you like elephants? 🐘

It’s Christmas Eve. Happy Holidays to all. Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanzaa. Merry New Year.

(That’s a Trading Places reference, BTW)

As we all know by now, the Mets and Sean Manaea came to an agreement on a three-year, $75 million contract early Monday with $23.25 million reportedly deferred until 2035 at an annual rate of $2.35 million for ten years.

That’s a very generous concession on the part of Manaea. Between that and what I would consider an undermarket deal at $25 million per year, that to me demonstrates he was true to his word and genuinely wanted to return to the Mets after his successful reclamation contract from a year ago.

As I always say, teams should want to sign players who want to be with them. In this case, both had genuine interest in a reunion, found common ground and got a good deal done for both sides.

Manaea is what the Mets needed at the top of their rotation. He isn’t an ace, but that’s okay. He will join Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Frankie Montas, and Clay Holmes as sure things to start the season in the Mets rotation. Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning, and Paul Blackburn will combine in some form to be the sixth starter in this rotation. How it shakes out between the three of them on the major league pitching staff remains to be seen.

David Stearns set out to find 8-10 major league starting pitchers at the beginning of the off-season. He has said since November that they’re going with a six-man rotation for most of the year, so it all stands to reason here.

Now, most of these starting pitchers don’t exactly jump out at anyone, and it’s filled with plenty of question marks and concerns. It’s hard to ignore what a healthy version of Senga can bring to the table. Peterson’s resurgent 2024 season certainly brings promise for the rotation, and of course, Manaea is expected to bring a solid and steady presence to help stabilize other concerns in the rotation.

So, that begs the question - what now?

On the pitching front, the Mets will likely shift their attention to the bullpen. It’s hard to see the Mets signing another front-of-the-rotation arm outside of Rōki Sasaki, who was, is, and always will be independent to the rest of the roster. Signing Manaea does not take them out of the running for Sasaki, but as I have said many times, there are obstacles in front of the Mets if they wish to sign him, not the least of which is the heavy competition for his services throughout the league. They’re not signing Corbin Burnes, who is still out there but in the eight or nine-year market, and the Mets aren’t and shouldn’t be considering that for a 30+ pitcher.

For the bullpen, just forget a closer or anyone who is in the market as a closer. They have Edwin Díaz, so that’s that, whether you like it or not. That means Tanner Scott isn’t signing with the Mets, Kirby Yates probably isn’t either, nor is Carlos Estevez. But that doesn’t mean Kenley Jansen wouldn’t be interested in signing with the Mets or a pitcher of his ilk. There’s also David Robertson and Ryne Stanek, two arms they’re familiar with and would fit nicely into the seventh and eighth innings. They could also use another left-handed reliever, someone established like AJ Minter.

There’s also the secondary infield/outfield roster spots, such as a utility infielder (José Iglesias, anyone?) and a left-handed power bat who can potentially be in a lefty/righty platoon at DH (hello, Jesse Winker).

It’s worth mentioning the Mets were interested in Joc Pederson before he signed a two-year deal with Texas. So, they’re clearly in the market for a left-handed power bat. Perhaps not at Pederson’s price point, but they want one nonetheless.

Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room.

What’s going to happen with Pete Alonso? What are the Mets thinking about Alonso? Why hasn’t he signed yet? There are no more suitors for him!

All of that is fair to ask and wonder. I was actually hoping there would be a resolution to this on Monday, but alas, here we are, still waiting.

(I did sport my Pete Alonso blue shirsey on Monday, fwiw)

Over the weekend, there was more buzz about Alex Bregman, and that buzz wasn’t about Bregman or Alonso for the Mets.

Rather, it was about Bregman AND Alonso for the Mets. There’s a lot to unwrap about that possibility. And while it’s hard not to get excited about that scenario potentially unfolding, it doesn’t jive with me entirely.

Why?

First off, Stearns has said repeatedly that he doesn’t want to block prospects and younger players on the roster from positions on the field. Signing both would lock first and third base up for at least the next five years, presumably, and would unquestionably shift Mark Vientos into a full-time DH role, assuming Bregman is the third and not at second base. Even if Bregman plays second— and I don’t know why he would sign with the Mets to play second when there are plenty of teams out there who can have him at third— it would block their middle infield prospects there as well.

That goes against Stearns’ public position. It doesn’t mean minds aren’t allowed to change, especially when opportunities arise in free agency.

Second, unless one or both of Bregman and Alonso sign a short-term deal, and there’s no reason to believe that will happen right now, the roster becomes pretty locked for a long period of time at three infield positions and two outfield positions. That would limit the club’s ability to bring prospects to the major leagues and/or make improvements in free agency over time, much like it is for the Phillies right now, who have simply been unable to shake up their roster.

On the other hand, signing both kills three birds with one stone. The Mets would get their first baseman back (Alonso), they’d be upgrading at third base (Bregman), and they’d be getting a full-time designated hitter (Vientos).

I do, of course, see a scenario where it’s one of Alonso or Bregman unfolding. And if I take the emotion out of this, I can’t pretend Bregman isn’t the better all-around player at a more valuable position. That would just be unfair. He has been worth more simply from an fWAR perspective since 2019, ie the year Alonso came to the major leagues.

As such, I wonder if the Mets might be thinking the same thing here.

After all, it’s Stearns’ job and obligation to be as unemotional as he can be in his process.

But as fans, we can be emotional about it and want the Mets to figure this out, even if objectivity is thrown out the window in our process. And I think it would be bittersweet if it were one or the other and the Mets chose Bregman over Alonso, even if they were choosing the better and more valuable player in that scenario.

Aw hell - just sign everyone and figure out the roster later!

If the Mets sign both, the Boras Corporation should unquestionably open an office inside Citi Field considering the number of clients he has playing for the Mets.

Have a happy holiday, everyone! 🎄🕎🎄🕎

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Around the League 🚩

• The Rangers signed OF Joc Pederson to a two-year, $37 million contract (ESPN)

• The Red Sox agreed to sign RHP Walker Buehler to a one-year contract (Yahoo! Sports)

• The Phillies signed RHP Joe Ross to a one-year contract (Official)

• The Rays signed DH Eloy Jimenez to a minor league contract (ESPN)

• The Pirates signed OF Andrew McCutchen to a one-year contract (official)