Pete Alonso is ‘one more thing’ Steve Cohen can live without now

At this point, the last chance for Pete Alonso to remain a Met would be what I will call the Carlos Correa Paradigm. 

And with where the Mets are structurally and philosophically today from where they were when they dabbled with Correa in late December 2022, it would be a Hail Mary at this point for Alonso to stay in Flushing. 

You may recall that after Correa had failed a physical with the Giants, the Mets pounced with a 12-year, $315 million agreement intending to move the star shortstop to third base next to his pal, Francisco Lindor. 

Already that offseason, the Mets had retained Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Diaz on large free-agent pacts and also imported, among others, Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana and David Robertson. The Correa signing would have moved the payroll projection for luxury tax purposes well beyond $380 million.