Royals' First Baseman Says Mets Don't 'Value' Pete Alonso's Traits

As New York Mets free agent first baseman Pete Alonso remains unsigned with the start of spring training approaching, do the Mets not value the slugging first baseman?

Despite slugging 226 career home runs, which are the second most in the major leagues since 2019 (behind only Aaron Judge) and just 26 home runs away from surpassing Darryl Strawberry for the most home runs in franchise history, talks between Alonso and the Mets have seemed to evaporate. This is also in spite of Alonso making it clear throughout the 2024 season that he wanted to remain in Queens.

While Alonso's market has gradually picked up lately with a few other teams showing interest in him, another major league first baseman may have an answer to why the star slugger's go-around on the open market has gone so poorly.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino made an appearance on "The Chris Rose Rotation" on Monday. He stated the reason why Alonso and the Mets have yet to agree on a new contract is because the 30-year-old has traits the Amazins' don't "value".

Specifically, Pasquantino noted that first basemen typically produce lower wins above replacement (WAR) totals compared to players at other positions, which is due to first base being perceived as the easiest defensive position to play; this has resulted in not only Alonso, but other first basemen not getting the deals they anticipate.

“If you play first, it is very difficult to get that WAR number up because it gets so trudged down, simply by the position," Pasquantino said. "What these [front office] guys have determined is that players who handle the ball — almost, more than anybody, in terms of catching the baseball — are the least valuable people out there.

“It’s just tough, Pete has been the face of the Mets for the past six years and that should mean something, in my opinion. I’m not in the room, but it does not seem that [the Mets’ front office] values things that he brings to the table, other than the numbers.”

Vinnie Pasquantino thinks WAR undermines the value of first basemen

“These guys have determined that players that handle the ball almost more than anybody are the least valuable people out there” pic.twitter.com/dof9ShXtm9
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) January 20, 2025

These comments by the Royals' first baseman come less than a week after Alonso reportedly turned down a three-year deal worth between $68 million to $70 million from the Mets.

Alonso's fWAR (FanGraphs) last season was 2.1, which tied him for 85th in the majors (alongside Bryan Reynolds, Logan O'Hoppe, and Jake Cronenworth). This is the lowest fWAR he's posted in a full season in his career; he was worth 0.3 fWAR in 2020, but that season was shortened to just 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At this point, negotiations between the Mets and Alonso seem to have gone nowhere and with the power-hitting first baseman still a free agent, Pasquantino seems to think New York doesn't quite value Alonso as much as he thinks he deserves - similarly to how the rest of the league doesn't value fellow first basemen as much anymore.