The New York Mets agreed to a two-year, $54 million deal with Pete Alonso last offseason, but he has a player option after this year.
Alonso was in search of a long-term deal that he clearly did not find. However, after another All-Star season, and showing he can do more than just hit for power, he should be able to find a lucrative offer in free agency.
Alonso is expected to opt out and should have plenty of interest this offseason. He is a fan favorite in Queens, and the Mets may not be able to keep him around with his price much higher now than last offseason.
Alonso has always spoken highly of the Mets organization, and losing him would be a huge blow to the team and its fanbase. However, Alonso is not thinking about this being his final stretch with the team right now.
“Potentials and hypotheticals, it might as well be fairy dust. It doesn’t matter,” Alonso told SNY’s Steve Gelbs. “‘This could potentially be Pete Alonso’s last at-bat as a Met,’ how many times did people say that (last year)? Let’s pump the brakes on that.”
Alonso is clearly not thinking about free agency right now. He understands that his time with the Mets could be coming to an end, but his focus is right now is on helping the Mets win games.
“The people asking me are thinking about it more than I am, even when I’m going through it,” Alonso told Gelbs. “I’ve got a job to do today, I can’t think about hypotheticals — I don’t have time! I’ve got to get my foot down and be ready to hit a 100 MPH fastball today. All of that stuff is meaningless — to me, at least.”
Alonso was named an All-Star for the fifth time in his career this season. He has hit more home runs than last year, while also raising his batting average significantly. Whether it’s the Mets or another team, he has set himself up for a new contract.
