MLB rumors: Mets make ‘last-ditch’ offer to Pete Alonso, Blue Jays to restart Vlad Guerrero extension talks

CBS Sports

Blue Jays in on Alonso It’s worth noting that The Athletic reports other teams are still involved in the Alonso bidding, including the Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays are also one of the three finalists for Japanese ace Roki Sasaki.
Jays, Guerrero extension talks to ‘accelerate’ Speaking of Guerrero, The Athletic reports the following: The Blue Jays have not spoken to Guerrero’s camp about an extension since before Christmas, according to a source briefed on the conversations.
Last season, Guerrero hit .323/.396/.544 (166 OPS+) with 44 doubles, 30 homers, 103 RBI, 98 runs and 6.2 WAR.
Padres grab backup catcher The Padres have agreed to terms on a deal with free agent catcher Martín Maldonado, reports The Athletic.

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The offseason for Major League Baseball is coming to an end, with less than a month until catchers and pitchers report for duty. As a result, teams have just a few weeks remaining to make final roster adjustments. All of Thursday’s most important news, rumors, and moves have been gathered by CBS Sports in one handy location below.

The Mets’ final offer for Alonso.

For the majority of the offseason, the Mets and veteran first baseman Pete Alonso have been negotiating a potential reunion, but nothing has materialized as of yet. According to a report published by the New York Post on Thursday, the Mets made a “last-ditch” offer and then “began their pivot away” from Alonso after it was turned down. The reported offer was for a three-year contract worth between $68 million and $70 million.

According to reports, the Mets will now concentrate on the bullpen, particularly free agent lefty Tanner Scott, after agreeing to a one-year reunion with veteran Jesse Winker just hours prior to the report.

That suggests that, barring an unexpected circumstance, the Mets have come to feel that Alonso’s time with the team is over.

Our own Mike Axisa recently investigated whether Alonso or the Mets (or another team) would benefit from a short-term contract similar to the one mentioned above.

To date, Alonso, 30, has played for the Mets his entire career. The batsman has batted .249/ in six seasons. 339. 514 with 226 home runs (134 OPS+). According to Baseball Reference, his contributions have been valued at 19.8 Wins Above Replacement. Alonso is a two-time Home Run Derby champion and a four-time All-Star.

Alonso started the winter as the eleventh-best free agent available, according to CBS Sports. Since “he’s also a righty-hitting first baseman nearing his 30th birthday,” we speculated at the time that he might be in for a cold reception. Alonso doesn’t measure up, but teams have demonstrated that they will make an exception for generational talent like Miguel Cabrera or Albert Pujols. “..”.

Blue Jays are pursuing Alonso.

Notably, The Athletic reports that the Blue Jays are among the other teams still bidding for Alonso. If Alonso is signed by Toronto, it is anticipated that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would stay where it is.

The Blue Jays are at a crossroads and could use some clarification on their short- and long-term direction after a dismal season, according to a report earlier this week from CBS Sports.

The alternative is to upgrade the roster around Guerrero and Bichette in order to concentrate on their short-term competitiveness, regardless of the long-term effects. However, the Blue Jays would have likely already accomplished that by making sure they signed some of their prior targets if they had intended to adopt that aggressive approach during the offseason. Sasaki is the rare free agent who is a wise target regardless of the Blue Jays’ eventual course, but if they are unable to court him, they might not have another chance this offseason to bolster their roster with an impact player. (“May” since there are still some good free agents like Jack Flaherty and Alex Bregman available, and there’s a chance the trade market will provide some splashes before Opening Day). ).

Roki Sasaki, a Japanese star, has three finalists, including the Blue Jays. It’s also thought that the Dodgers and Padres are in the running.

‘Accelerate’ extension talks between Guerrero and the Jays.

The Athletic reports the following regarding Guerrero.

Before Christmas, Guerrero’s camp did not hear from the Blue Jays regarding an extension, according to a source briefed on the discussions. But before Guerrero sets a deadline for himself in February, those negotiations are anticipated to pick up speed. 17, the day prior to the Jays’ first complete practice for position players and pitchers.

Recall that following the 2025 season, Guerrero, 25, will be eligible for free agency. He has already been named to the All-Star team four times, and in 2021, he was the AL MVP runner-up to two-way star Shohei Ohtani. Guerrero hit .323/last season. 3.96. 108 runs, 30 home runs, 103 RBI, 44 doubles, 6.2 WAR, and 544 (166 OPS+).

In all likelihood, the Blue Jays will need to persuade Guerrero to sign an extension not just with money but also with the team’s direction.

The backup catcher is grabbed by the padres.

According to The Athletic, the Padres have reached an agreement with free agent catcher Martín Maldonado.

The 38-year-old Maldonado hit .119/. 173/. 230 for the White Sox with a -1 point 3 WAR in the previous season. His reputation as a defense-first backstop who complements pitchers and has a cannon for an arm has long existed. In 2022, he won a ring with the Astros, who had been his team for years.

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