The New York Mets are aggressively pursuing free agent superstar Juan Soto, but Soto isn’t the only star player on New York’s radar. The Mets, owner Steve Cohen and general manager David Stearns have also reportedly made the return of slugger Pete Alonso a priority.

New York will be able to afford Alonso whether it signs Soto or not. The only problem is that New York may not be willing to pay Alonso the price they think he’s worth.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale recently reported on the ongoing saga between Alonso and the Mets, linking the first baseman to another team if he leaves the Big Apple.

“Alonso says he loves the Mets, and the Mets say they love Alonso, but something doesn’t seem right. “The Mets tried to sign him to an extension — seven years and $158 million, according to the New York Post — but that was flatly rejected,” Nightengale wrote. “There is no sign that the two sides have spoken since then, leaving everyone wondering whether Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns even wants Alonso. He could easily turn to Christian Walker, the three-time Gold Glove first baseman who was coming.” For less than half the cost of Alonso, Alonso could be a perfect fit for the Seattle Mariners.

The Mariners are a perfect fit for Alonso. Seattle needs every type of offense it can get, but if it could get picky, a 40-home run hitter would be the team’s best addition.

For the Mets, it comes down to whether they believe Alonso is worth anywhere near $200 million. The Mariners may be more willing to pay that price due to their desperation, but the Mets could look to other players to fill Alonso’s spot if they don’t want to overpay.

More MLB: Blue Jays expected to pursue $119M Astros legend as emergency backup plan