Mets expect Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea to decline qualifying offers
The Mets will receive official answers Tuesday from three free agents to which qualifying offers were extended.
Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea and Luis Severino all received a qualifying offer from the team — valued at $21.05 million for next season.
All three are expected to formally reject the offer ahead of the 4 p.m. deadline.
By extending the offer, the Mets will receive draft pick compensation for each player that signs with another team.
The Mets can still negotiate longer term deals with all three.
Alonso stands to land the largest payday of the group as one of the biggest power hitters on the market.
Alonso figures to secure a nine-figure deal, but any negotiations with the Mets may have to wait until Juan Soto’s fate is decided.
The Mets are among the teams pursuing Soto in free agency and whether the team would sign the All-Star outfielder and potentially retain Alonso — or look in a different direction at first base — is unclear.
Manaea is a slam dunk to reject the qualifying offer, according to an industry source, after opting out from the two-year contract worth $28 million he received last winter.
The left-hander had a breakout season with the Mets in which he pitched to a 3.47 ERA in 32 starts for the club and logged 181 ²/₃ innings.
Blake Snell and Max Fried are the top lefty starters available on the market, but the 32-year-old Manaea falls into the next tier and could be in line for a deal of three or four years.
Severino also rebuilt his value with a strong season. The right-hander pitched to a 3.91 ERA in 31 starts for the Mets and amassed 182 innings with 161 strikeouts.
Severino will be in line for a jump from the one-year deal he received from the Mets last offseason worth $13 million.
The Mets signed right-handed pitcher Justin Hagenman to a one-year major league contract. Hagenman, 28, spent last season at Triple-A for the Red Sox and split time between the starting rotation and bullpen, pitching to a 4.91 ERA.
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