The calendar has flipped to February. Spring training will be starting soon, but first baseman Pete Alonso is still a free agent. The New York Mets still lack a clear answer to replace him in the lineup for 2025. Will both sides finally agree on a new contract in the coming days?
Alonso’s best landing spot has been the Mets since he hit the open market in November. That only became clearer when several available first basemen landed with teams who had to fill that spot on the diamond.
Although teams like the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels, and Seattle Mariners could still make sense for Alonso, he seems destined to remain in Queens. The only question left before that happens is what his eventual contract will look like, says USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 17: Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets scores a run during the fifth inning of the game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on September 17, 2024 in New York City.
Dustin Satloff/Getty Images
“Alonso, 30, has made it clear he wants to go back to the Mets, and as much as the Mets would welcome him back, owner Steve Cohen publicly made it clear they simply won’t meet Alonso’s contract proposals,” Nightengale wrote. “It likely will come down to just how much the Mets will pay Alonso in the first year of that three-year contract, which will include an opt-out after the 2025 season to allow Alonso to test the market again.
“It seems almost inevitable that a resolution will be reached.”
The right-handed slugger has been a staple in the Mets’ lineup since his 2019 National League Rookie of the Year campaign. His 226 home runs already rank third in franchise history. If he returns to New York for 2025, there’s a good chance he’ll take over the top spot at some point during the season. Darryl Strawberry is the current record holder with 252 homers.
The Athletic’s Tim Britton projected a five-year, $140 million deal for Alonso at the start of the winter. But since his market never really formed, he’ll have to settle for much less. The Mets have reportedly offered him a three-year deal in the $70 million range.
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