Pete Alonso’s looming free-agent discussions anchor the Mets’ winter ballet, as executives push back on a seven-year commitment for a powerful, aging first baseman and weigh five- to six-year options with a potential future DH path. Edwin Diaz remains central to the bullpen puzzle, with talks of extending him while the reliever market dodges big moves. Juan Soto is floated as a potential DH destination, and Angels and Nationals are named as possible bidders, signaling the crossfire of term, value, and roster balance.

Pete Alonso's free-agent odds, Diaz's extension, and the Mets' winter pivots anchor a wide-ranging post-season recap. The hosts weigh Alonso's seven-year lure against a shorter, high-AAV window, explore a center-field solution with Jet Williams and the farm, and map out potential 2026 lineups with or without Alonso. They contrast Blue Jays' contact-oriented success with Yankees' power-heavy approach, assess top pitching assets like Hunter Brown as trade ammo, and preview a busy off-season full of big-name targets.

Pete Alonso's looming seven-year, $30M-plus demand dominates Mets chatter as the club ponders a world without their corner bat. The no-salary-cap reality in this off-season adds crunch to decisions, with Scott Boris orchestrating a bold market push while the Mets weigh matching a megadeal versus pivoting to offense from elsewhere. The episode also probes two aces in Scooble and Hunter Green, Soto's role, Chavez's (unconventional) tweaks, and a bullpen in flux, plus rival moves and legacy questions.

Pete Alonso’s contract chess game centers on five years and about $185 million with a target of roughly $37 million per year, a ceiling that would outpace Vlad Guerrero Jr. and reshape the first-base market. Debate pivots on aging, potential DH shifts, and how much total value traders are willing to lock in. The Mets loom large as the market pressure point, while Boras and Jim Duquette clash over ceilings, risk, and roster balance.

Tarik Skubal dominates game five, fueling Mets fever as the offseason talks turn to trading for an ace while weighing 2026 pitching depth. The discussion pivots to leadership gaps exposed by Stanton’s fiery locker-room address, potential cross-town moves involving Alonso and Schwarber, and how the Syracuse Train bullpen depth could shape a more economical, long-game plan for run prevention and innings-eating relievers in 2026.