Toronto Blue Jays fans are dedicating 100 percent of their attention right now to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who in a matter of hours will either commit the rest of his prime to the franchise or leave it in the dust in order to hit free agency next winter. And understandably so: Whether Vladdy stays or goes will go a long, long way to determining just how competitive this franchise will be both in 2025 and for years to come.
But while it might fly under the radar just a bit given the circumstances, Guerrero Jr. isn't the only first baseman who made some headlines on Monday that should grab Toronto's attention. Pete Alonso made his first media appearance since re-signing with the New York Mets earlier this month, after a protracted free agency in which he at one point seemed to be on the verge of becoming a Blue Jay.
But actually, according to Alonso's version of events, Toronto was never much of a factor at all. Alonso claims he had has heart set on the Mets all along, telling reporters that "for me, [New York] was it."
“For me this was it,” Pete Alonso on reuniting with the Mets
— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) February 17, 2025
There's no real reason not to take Alonso at his word here. The Mets are the only professional organization he's ever known, a team that just added Juan Soto after making an NLCS run in 2024; it's clear that his heart was still in New York, and if there were any doubt, the fact that he was willing to take a short-term deal and leave some money on the table to stay there should answer any lingering questions.
That fact should teach Jays fans and GM Ross Atkins a valuable lesson: Scott Boras only has time for Toronto when there's something in it for him or one of his clients.
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Pete Alonso confirms that Scott Boras was once again trying to play the Blue Jays
As the Alonso saga dragged on, the Blue Jays emerged as the most plausible alternative should talks between the slugger and the Mets completely break down. When Steve Cohen went public with his frustration with Boras at the team's fan festival back in January, it wasn't long before reports began to surface that Alonso and the Jays were "on the 10-yard line" — reports that, it just so happened, came from Boras-sourced members of the baseball media.
It seems pretty clear what actually happened here. Alonso wanted to remain a Met, Boras wanted to hit a certain number, and when New York balked, MLB's preeminent superagent had to try and build a market with nothing more than a few anonymously sourced posts on social media. The Jays just happened to be the nearest team available, one with enough money and desperation to make interest in Alonso relatively plausible.
Of course, Alonso was never really interested in heading to Canada. Heck, there's not even all that much evidence that the Jays were really interested in signing him. More likely, Atkins explored the situation, then pivoted elsewhere when it became clear that the first baseman was set on waiting out the Mets. This is hardly the first time that Boras has used Toronto as leverage, regardless of how his clients might actually feel about playing there. But if the Jays are smart, it'll be the last.