Keith Hernandez believes the Mets should keep their top two free agents.
On this week’s episode of The Post’s “The Show” podcast with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, the World Series champion and SNY stalwart said the Mets should re-sign first baseman Pete Alonso, who has said he is opting out of his deal, and closer Edwin Diaz, who is also expected to opt out.
“You’re not going to replace his bat, his high-powered bat,” Hernandez said of Alonso. “To me, he’s the second coming of Harmon Killebrew. I already said that in his rookie season. Plus the fact that he’s a right-handed bat and our lineup is better – we have left-handed hitters up there in the middle. Really, our lineup was top-heavy.”
While Hernandez acknowledged some of Alonso’s defensive shortcomings, he credited him with being good at scoops that saved his fellow infielders’ rough throws.
He doesn’t think Alonso’s bat can be replaced.
“To me, if he drives in 125 runs, a right-handed bat, I think they should sign him,” Hernandez said. “And they need to sign Diaz, too.”
After a relatively poor season in 2024 and a talk with Steve Cohen and David Stearns, Alonso re-signed with the Mets on a two-year contract worth $54 million that included an opt-out after 2025.
Alonso, who turns 31 in December, hit .272 this year with an .871 OPS, 38 home runs and 126 RBIs.
Diaz, who will be 32 on Opening Day, had a 1.63 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 28 saves and 98 strikeouts in 66 ⅓ innings during the third year of a five-year, $102 million contract.
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