Insider predicts how Mets' Pete Alonso will handle pressure of walk year

All-Star New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is facing a career first as he remains on track to reach free agency following the 2024 World Series. 

For a piece published on Monday morning, ESPN's Buster Olney discussed how he believes Alonso will handle knowing that he's playing throughout this spring and summer for a long-term contract he'll ultimately receive either from the Mets or a different organization. 

"At every stage in his baseball life, Alonso has thrived in the face of doubts," Olney explained. "He turns that internal intensity into fuel. He'll have a big year, forcing the Mets' leadership to make a big, expensive decision." 

Mets legend Darryl Strawberry recently visited the club during spring training and revealed that he told Alonso "to go out and have a good year" and make things "difficult" regarding what big-spending owner Steve Cohen and club president of baseball operations David Stearns plan to do next offseason. While StatMuse shows that nobody has hit more MLB home runs than Alonso (192) since the start of the 2019 campaign, it's worth noting that the Mets are already being linked in rumors with All-Star New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto. 

Soto will also be a free agent this fall and turns 26 years old in October. Alonso celebrates his 30th birthday in December. 

Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor previously suggested that a player who can't perform well while thinking about putting pen to paper on a future contract should do whatever possible to get a deal done before that season. For example, Lindor signed a 10-year contract extension that could be worth up to $341M shortly before the start of the 2021 campaign. 

There's no indication either Alonso or Soto will ink extensions before Opening Day arrives later this month. Olney hinted that some within the league have questions about how the Mets' "Polar Bear" will react to suffering a slump during a walk year. 

"Rival evaluators have noted how tough Alonso can be on himself, and that when he's in a rough patch, he seemingly beats himself up between pitches and plate appearances," Olney pointed out. "This season will be a test of that, with his foray into free agency looming ahead. His negotiations with the Mets have been set aside and he needs a big year following a season in which he mashed 46 homers but also hit .217/.318/.504. He's the Mets' biggest power source, but he will play under a ton of pressure this year." 

Whispers about the Mets possibly shopping Alonso to other clubs before the summer trade deadline if they have a losing record after the All-Star break seemingly aren't disappearing anytime soon. Such chatter could serve as an additional distraction for the popular slugger, but he'll have to tune out that noise to land the massive contract he reportedly wants.