PORT ST. LUCIE — David Wright valued wearing a Mets uniform so much that he took a team-friendly deal a year before he was set to hit free agency, allowing him to play his entire career in one organization. 

Brandon Nimmo arrived at the same crossroads almost a decade later, under different Mets ownership. But as much as Nimmo had a difficult time envisioning a Queens departure, he decided he owed it to himself to at least explore free agency. Nimmo took the tour, but chose to stay after receiving an offer that might have exceeded even his expectations. 

Wright and Nimmo ultimately got what they had wanted when the process started, albeit taking different approaches. 

That brings us to Pete Alonso, who appears certain to hit free agency after this season, leaving in question whether he will get the opportunity to join Wright and potentially Nimmo (whose contract runs through his age-37 season and contains a no-trade clause) as Mets for life. Alonso has repeatedly stated his desire to remain in the only organization he’s known as a professional. 

Two years ago, Nimmo began spring training in the same spot Alonso now sits, entering his walk year and feeling the pressure to succeed. 

“You kind of have to let the results be themselves,” Nimmo said. “You can get all wrapped up in it, but in my experience that hasn’t made things any better. … Don’t get me wrong: there’s some tough times you go through and you are like, ‘Man, I need to turn it around.’ But you have to get back to that positive mindset.” 

Nimmo hired Scott Boras to represent him in his final year before free agency. Alonso is following that blueprint — he switched to Boras last October, after receiving strong reviews from Nimmo on the mega-agent. 

Boras mentored Nimmo throughout his walk year, telling him what he could expect when free agency officially began. Sometimes there would be a call from the agent simply to tell Nimmo there was a part of his game that appeared to be lagging. 

Though Nimmo says the Mets never came to him with a dollar figure before he reached free agency, he suspects that happened with Alonso at some point in the last year. 

But Alonso only had to look across town to Aaron Judge and the jackpot he found by betting on himself in his walk year. Or Alonso simply could have looked toward Nimmo, whose eight-year contract worth $162 million was significantly higher than the numbers projected for him as he approached his final season before free agency. 

“From Pete’s perspective he’s earned the right to see what is out there,” Nimmo said. “He could still end up with the Mets, just like me, and I feel really good about that. But he’s earned that right to just go see what other people think of him as well.” 

The Mets got on a roll during Nimmo’s final season before free agency, allowing the focus to sit squarely on the team rather than on the center fielder’s own situation. Nimmo stayed healthy that entire season (a rarity for a player whose trips to the injured list were frequent, previously) and produced his best numbers. 

For Alonso, health has never been an issue. Last season he blasted 46 homers, but his .318 on-base percentage was a career low, prompting him to place an emphasis this spring on his strike-zone discipline. Alonso would like to be a more complete hitter. 

So it’s not as if the All-Star first baseman is content with his production last season. There is motivation to improve, with his free agency as the carrot. 

“It’s a long season and there are going to be some ups and downs, but Pete has always enjoyed pressure situations,” Nimmo said. “He’s always coming up clutch. He wants to win. That is what he is concerned about right now. That is the great perspective to have — that is what was so awesome in ’22 with me is we just got to focus on winning. It wasn’t really about me each and every day. It’s about whether we won or lost.” 

Nimmo still took the free agency tour, which Wright had bypassed. Both stayed with the Mets. 

Alonso is taking the longer road. He could very well land elsewhere next year, but it’s too early to suggest it’s a foregone conclusion.