Headlines

  • Mike Shildt Steps Down As Padres Manager
  • Tigers Extended Manager A.J. Hinch Earlier This Season
  • Munetaka Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason
  • Cody Bellinger To Opt Out Of Contract With Yankees
  • Angels, Albert Pujols Discussing Managerial Deal
  • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Athletics
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

MLB Mailbag: Alonso, Skubal, Grisham

By Tim Dierkes | October 14, 2025 at 12:33pm CDT

This week's mailbag gets into Pete Alonso's reported contract demand, the Tigers and Tarik Skubal, possible Trent Grisham suitors, and much more.

Chris asks:

Alonso saying he is seeking a 7 year deal is essentially him saying that he's out of Queens. So if you're Stearns, is the play to go all out for Murakami? Short-term on a Josh Naylor? Or give the keys to Clifford, strengthen up elsewhere like CF, 3B, DH to supplement the offense now you don't have Pete? Or just really go all in on your "Run Prevention" Plan, go get a Skubal or Skenes, sign Valdez or Cease and fortify the defense. There's a lot of questions for the Mets who honestly feel like they are only a few pieces for being a legit World Series Contender again.

Abner asks:

Pete Alonso is asking for a 7 year deal (he will be 31 by the beginning of next season) and David Stearns does not like that type of commitment for players in the wrong side of the 30's. It is known that the Mets are showing interest in NPB player Munetaka Murakami who is a slugger in Japan, but is not yet proven against MLB pitching. Murakami also comes with some concerns (poor plate discipline/not excel with defense), but based on recent Japanese stars that have come to MLB (Roki Sasaki/Yoshinobu Yamamoto/Seiya Suzuki) we could expect him to command a longer and more expensive deal than the one Alonso is looking for. Additionally, there will be no other first basemen of that same caliber available in this offseason free agency class. So, how feasible for the Mets would be to get a deal done with Pete Alonso and how that deal would look like? Thanks in advance.

On Saturday, Mike Puma of the New York Post wrote, "Alonso, who turns 31 in December, is expected to seek a contract of at least seven years — a length consistent with deals the player’s agent, Scott Boras, completed in recent seasons for Marcus Semien and Matt Chapman at the same age (Chapman received a six-year extension from the Giants after his first season with the club on a different contract)."

Start with the fact that both of those comps are a major stretch for Alonso.

Semien did indeed sign a seven-year deal heading into his age-31 season.  This came off a monster 6-WAR campaign, Semien's second in three years.  Alonso has not even reached 4 WAR since he was a rookie.  The gap in defensive value on the two is enormous.  Semien was a Gold Glove second baseman who was also capable of playing shortstop.

Puma makes a case that Alonso's first base defense isn't as bad as the metrics suggest, because he's good at making scoops.  That may be true, but he's still a pretty clear net negative given what two completely different metrics, Outs Above Average and Defensive Runs Saved, say.

More crucially, Semien was an up-the-middle player, not a first baseman who's expected to move to DH soon.  Semien's defensive abilities have sustained 2+ WAR value even as his offense has slipped below league average.  And Semien's seventh year, brought about by a level of free agent competition Alonso is unlikely to have, looks regrettable.

Chapman's deal was not signed on the open market.  It's a six-year extension covering age 32-37.  I suppose a case can be made that if a 32-year-old can get six years, a 31-year-old should get seven.  Like Semien, defense is a huge part of Chapman's game, making him a poor comp for Alonso.

The correct comps are other first basemen, plus designated hitters.  Modern GMs have clearly demonstrated they will not give first basemen and DHs long-term deals.  The fact that no one offered Alonso a good one last year was not entirely due to the qualifying offer.  It has been nearly four years since a free agent first baseman of any age signed for even five years.  That was Freddie Freeman getting six in March 2022.  Freeman clearly a better hitter than Alonso is.

Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription

BENEFITS
  • Access weekly subscriber-only articles by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco.
  • Join exclusive weekly live chats with Anthony.
  • Remove ads and support our writers.
  • Access GM-caliber tools like our MLB Contract Tracker
Share Repost Send via email

Front Office Originals Tim Dierkes' MLB Mailbag

Twins Ask Permission To Interview Red Sox’s Bench Coach Ramon Vazquez
Main
Phillies Notes: Schwarber, Realmuto, Suarez
View Comments (14)
Post a Comment

14 Comments

  1. Blue Baron

    4 hours ago

    Bob Seymour? He’s 27 and has yet to establish any kind of value at the MLB level.

    He’s hit .205 with one homer in all of 78 ABs.

    2
    Reply
    • Lee Harvey Oddball

      1 hour ago

      And 32 Ks in 83 ABs. What are you talking about?

      2
      Reply
    • Soto should bat first.

      1 hour ago

      Bye Bobby. You gonna call me?

      1
      Reply
  2. Luis_Fazenda

    4 hours ago

    Not sure 7 years would be a good deal for a team. Once Pete’s bat starts slowing down, he’ll be as useless as you-know-what on a boar hog.

    5
    Reply
    • mlbnyyfan

      3 hours ago

      Alonso has zero leverage, especially if he only wants to play for the Mets.

      Reply
      • rct

        3 hours ago

        He has plenty of leverage and has never said that he only wants to play for the Mets. If he lessened his demands, there are a few teams who would make a good offer.

        1
        Reply
      • KnicksFanCavsFan

        1 hour ago

        @mlb

        Only Met fans think they’re the only team he wants to play for. They showed him they’re ass last year. I doubt he comes back at all.

        Reply
  3. Dave 32

    3 hours ago

    I’m sure Boras is gonna TRY for 7 years, but if Alonso knows what’s good for him which is not waiting until March to sign a one-year deal with whoever’s left, he’d be better off getting an agent who can work out the best destination on a 5-year deal which I think most teams would be okay with.

    If we’re being realistic on his likely 3 WAR / year value, he should be able to land 150/5 pretty easily, and probably for a contender. Those extra two years and presumably another 60-70m are going to be tough to justify for a DH.

    6
    Reply
    • findingnimmo

      1 hour ago

      Well said. It’s a dumb article to say him asking for 7 years means he’s not a met. You start high and go down. If he said I want a five year deal then the team starts at 3 and settle on 4. By saying 7, team goes to 4 they agree on 5 and an option with opt out after 3 years. He will be a met. Mets have no other option and he can take in money with a long contract and records and stuff. Iconic met of all career with them. Plus Soto needs the big bat behind him to put up alien numbers. Without judge or a Pete then I would not expect these two years type stats.

      1
      Reply
    • Blue Baron

      35 mins ago

      Dave 32: I think Pete is quite capable of selecting his representation and doesn’t need an internet rando like you to tell him “what’s good for him.”

      Reply
  4. NYMETSHEA

    1 hour ago

    Predicting 4 years at $105 million and 1 mutual/club option for $25 million with 5 million buyout for Alonso

    Reply
  5. Soto should bat first.

    1 hour ago

    Nimmo. DH in waiting.
    Soto. On Deck, DH in waiting.
    Bye bye Greedy Petey. This should have been done a long time ago.
    Put Ronny Mo at 1b for a huge defensive upgrade.
    Trade for Jarren Duran to juice up the offense.
    Have Duran, Nimmo, Soto, Alvarez share DH responsibilities.

    Reply
    • mlbnyyfan

      15 mins ago

      @Knicks. We shall see. I still think Boston should have gotten him last year instead of Bregman and kept Devers.

      Reply
  6. mlb fan

    19 seconds ago

    7 year deal? In other words, Pete’s agent has over promised and he’ll soon be signing another 2 year, 1st year opt out, deal with the Mets.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Mike Shildt Steps Down As Padres Manager

    Tigers Extended Manager A.J. Hinch Earlier This Season

    Munetaka Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason

    Cody Bellinger To Opt Out Of Contract With Yankees

    Angels, Albert Pujols Discussing Managerial Deal

    Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026

    Rangers Hire Skip Schumaker As Manager

    Albert Pujols To Interview For Angels’ Managerial Vacancy, May Be “Leading Choice”

    Bill Schmidt Will Not Return As Rockies’ GM

    Brian Snitker Will Not Return As Braves’ Manager In 2026

    Angels To Have New Manager In 2026

    Rays Sale To Patrick Zalupski’s Group Officially Completed

    Guardians Promote Chase DeLauter For Wild Card Series

    Bruce Bochy Will Not Return As Rangers Manager Amid Financial Uncertainty

    Liam Hendriks Undergoes Ulnar Nerve Transposition Surgery

    Twins Fire Rocco Baldelli

    Giants Fire Bob Melvin

    Pirates Sign Manager Don Kelly To Extension

    Pete Alonso To Opt Out Of Mets Contract, Enter Free Agency

    Padres Place Ramón Laureano On Injured List Due To Finger Fracture

    Recent

    Mets To Hire Kai Correa As Bench Coach

    Mets To Add Jeff Albert To Coaching Staff

    Rockies Have Interviewed James Click, Scott Sharp, Matt Forman In Front Office Search

    Yankees Permit Twins To Speak With James Rowson About Managerial Vacancy

    Brad Keller Interested In Re-Signing With Cubs

    Phillies Notes: Schwarber, Realmuto, Suarez

    MLB Mailbag: Alonso, Skubal, Grisham

    Twins Ask Permission To Interview Red Sox’s Bench Coach Ramon Vazquez

    The Opener: NLCS, Managerial Openings, Blue Jays

    Mike Shildt Steps Down As Padres Manager

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Tim Dierkes' MLB Mailbag
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version