Sandy Alderson is on his way back to the Mets, for 2015 and beyond.
According to an industry source, the Mets general manager is close to finalizing a “multi-year” agreement to continue in his present role. The deal is believed to be three years, with a club option that would keep Alderson, 66, under team control through 2018.
The Mets need a 5-1 finish in 2014 to avoid a fourth straight losing season since Alderson became the team’s general manager, in October 2010, replacing Omar Minaya.
Alderson, under direction from owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz, has sliced the payroll dramatically in his tenure. The Mets had a $140 million payroll when Alderson arrived, but will end this season around $83 million. There have been no indications that number will increase significantly next season.
But under Alderson’s leadership, the Mets have built a foundation on young pitching that could put the team in position to contend for the playoffs next year.
Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler and Jeurys Familia have all arrived to the major leagues during Alderson’s tenure, and the Mets also acquired a top pitching prospect in Noah Syndergaard, who spent the season at Triple-A Las Vegas.
While Alderson’s regime has been marked by strong trades, many of his free-agent signings haven’t materialized.
Most notably, Alderson signed Chris Young to a one-year deal worth $7.25 million last offseason. The veteran outfielder was a bust before his August release and became symbolic of the fans’ displeasure with the organization. Curtis Granderson last offseason signed a four-year contract worth $60 million with the Mets and hasn’t come close to fulfilling expectations.
Alderson’s other free-agent bust was reliever Frank Francisco (two years and $12 million), who spent most of his Mets tenure on the disabled list.
But Alderson also signed Bartolo Colon to a two-year deal worth $20 million last winter to help offset for the loss of Harvey to Tommy John surgery, and has received solid results. The veteran right-hander is 14-12 with a 4.02 ERA for the Mets this season and could be a trade chip in the offseason.
Alderson’s most significant trade came before the 2013 season, when he dealt R.A. Dickey to the Blue Jays in a package that yielded Syndergaard and catcher Travis d’Arnaud.
The GM’s first significant move with the Mets was landing Wheeler in a trade-deadline deal in 2011 that sent Carlos Beltran to the Giants.
Last season Alderson obtained second baseman Dilson Herrera and reliever Vic Black from the Pirates for Marlon Byrd and John Buck.
With Alderson’s new deal soon to become official — the Mets held an option on him for 2015 — an announcement is expected in the coming days that manager Terry Collins will return for next year. Collins signed a two-year deal to remain as the manager following last season.
