Starting pitchers Luis Severino and Sean Manaea, along with first baseman Pete Alonso, are expected to turn down the New York Mets’ qualifying offer for the 2025 season, valued at $21.05 million.
All three have a deadline of 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday to make the decision, which will allow them to explore the greener pastures of free agency.
Alonso stands to sign the biggest free-agent contract out of the trio, considering the 30-year-old is one of the elite power hitters in the league. Alongside agent Scott Boras, they are expected to sign a deal between six and seven years amounting anywhere between $160 and $180 million.
The Mets’ interest in bringing back the slugger is unknown, even if president of baseball operations David Stearns said the right things throughout the season about retaining the two-time Home Run Derby winner. New York is believed to be one of the favorites for Juan Soto this winter, and his decision would allow him to lay out a clearer path for the NL East club.
Should Soto choose to sign with the Mets, the likelihood of bringing Alonso back decreases drastically.
Both Manaea and Severino are understandably looking for multi-year contracts after rediscovering themselves in Queens after Stearns took a chance on them for the 2024 season.
Manaea was the Mets’ best pitcher during the second half of the season, throwing a career-high 181.2 innings and posting a 3.47 ERA with 184 strikeouts. He will be 33 by the start of the 2025 season and has expressed a desire to stay with the team.
Severino brought his career back from the abyss of a 2023 campaign with the Yankees that saw him post a 6.65 ERA. The 30-year-old righty had his most complete season since he was an All-Star in 2018 across town, going 11-7 with a 3.91 ERA and 161 strikeouts in 182 innings pitched.
It is unlikely that Stearns will bring back both of these veteran arms, especially with major free agents available like Corbin Burnes and Roki Sasaki.
Sending a qualifying offer means the Mets will be awarded a compensatory draft pick for each player who does not re-sign with the team.
