Inside The Mets

Scott Boras Responds to Steve Cohen's Assertion on Pete Alonso

Pete Alonso's agent Scott Boras offered a direct response to Mets owner Steve Cohen's comments about Alonso's contract negotiations.
Grant Young|
Dec 12, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto's agent Scott Boras during Soto's introductory press conference at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Dec 12, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto's agent Scott Boras during Soto's introductory press conference at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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New York Mets

There were several intriguing moments from the New York Mets' January 25 Amazin' Day fan fest event at Citi Field.

However, the most compelling was surely what Mets owner Steve Cohen had to say about Pete Alonso's ongoing contract negotiations.

“We made a significant offer to Pete,” Cohen said, per an X post from SNY. “He’s entitled to explore his market. That’s what he is doing.

"Personally, this has been an exhausting conversation and negotiation. I mean, Soto was tough. This is worse," Cohen added. "I don’t like the structures that are being presented back to us. It’s highly asymmetric against us. And I feel strongly about it."

"I will never say no. There’s always the possibility. But the reality is we’re moving forward," Cohen added about the potential of Alonso returning. "And as we continue to bring in players, the reality is it becomes harder to fit Pete into what is a very expensive group of players that we already have. That’s where we are. And I am being brutally honest.

“I don’t like the negotiations. I don’t like what’s been presented to us. Listen, maybe that changes. Certainly, I’ll always stay flexible. If it stays this way, I think we are going to have to get used to the fact that we may have to go forward with the existing players that we have.”

It was interesting to hear an owner speak so candidly about front office matters, as that is rather rare in the sports in the sports world.

It also didn't take long for Alonso's agent, the notorious Scott Boras, to offer a response to Cohen's sentiment, which was conveyed in a January 25 article from The Athletic's Will Sammon.

“Pete’s free-agent contract structure request are identical to the standards and practices of other clubs who have signed similarly situated qualifying-offer/all-star level players,” Boras said. “Nothing different. Just established fairness standards," Boras said.

While that response is fair enough, it likely won't change Cohen's sentiment.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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