All that talk about a late push, and the New York Mets’ offense really seems to have gone ice cold at the worst time possible. Their loss to the Philadelphia Phillies wasn’t just another setback; it was a gut punch. This 1-0 loss left the Mets eight games back in the NL East, and with just 18 games left to play, this is not looking good. The bats that once lit up August now suddenly look like they have lost the spark. They managed just eight total hits over their last two games, which is alarming. This is a team with big stars, and yet such is the condition.

Now, Carlos Mendoza managed the night against the Phillies as if it were October. He threw everything he had short of Edwin Diaz. Nolan McLean, with just five starts in his MLB career, looked more than capable of handling the pressure. Then. Gregory Soto, Brooks Raley, and yes, even Ryan Helsley, followed. So the Mets threw their A team—but the lineup sadly didn’t get the memo.

The Athletic summed up the Mets’ condition perfectly, stating, “The Mets are still leading a surprisingly active wild-card race, so we can’t just assume that they’ll be in the postseason. But … well, we can all just assume they’ll be in the postseason, right? Good. And if that’s the case, they’ll need the top-tier reliever they thought they were trading for at the deadline.”

The reliever they are talking about is none other than Ryan Helsley. The Athletic wrote the Mets fixed him, that “the switch on Helsley’s back flipped like a Krusty doll as soon as he was traded, and while it’s unlikely that he’ll be back in high-leverage situations soon, he can at least pitch his way onto a postseason roster that he’s not guaranteed to make.” And well, given that he has been anything but reliable in Queens, it’s understandable. Helsley is at 0-3 with an 11.45 ERA in 14 appearances for the Mets. And what was supposed to be a stabilizing arm for the team is looking like a nightmare.

Now, against the Phillies, for the first time in a long time, a little spark could be seen. His ERA trickled down from 4.98 to 4.88, too. But mind you that ERA had ballooned from 3.00 to 4.98 in a matter of weeks. Moreover, just one outing doesn’t erase weeks of damage, does it? The Mets know that they will need much more from their $8.2 million reliever if the postseason is still something they are thinking about.

Can the Mets keep Pete Alonso?

There is no doubt that the Mets are struggling with a slump. However, they are still pushing hard for that NL East crown this season. But while the games are a stressor, another major headache for the Mets can be Pete Alonso. The first baseman had signed a one-year, $30 million deal this past offseason. And honestly, that was surprising, because it almost looked like he had his foot out of Queens. However, he came back, but he opted for a player option, and hence there is a huge possibility he will test the free agency. And according to Spotrac, the market is ready to reward him handsomely.

Now the market was already abuzz with figures, but Spotrac says that Polar Bear could land a six-year contract worth $177 million. That’s about $29.5 million annually. Sure, it is a dip from his current $30 million a year figure, but this is a long-term deal. And at 31 years old, entering free agency, this is a handsome figure.

Now Alonso, entering free agency, won’t have the positional versatility of an outfielder, but his power bat is sure to attract teams. He is a five-time All-Star and the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year. He is also a two-time Home Run Derby champion and has passed Darryl Strawberry for the franchise’s all-time home run record with 259. For the Mets, hence, keeping Alonso won’t be cheap. It remains to be seen whether Steve Cohen opens up his pockets!