With Pete Alonso expected to opt out of his contract that he signed with the Mets last offseason, the first baseman will reportedly be seeking a new contract of at least seven years during free agency, per NY Post's Mike Puma.
After a great bounce back season for the slugger in which he slashed .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs and 126 RBI while playing in all 162 games, Alonso is hoping to turn that into a long-term deal, the same one that he was seeking last offseason.
A seven-year contract would be consistent with what Alonso's agent, Scott Boras, was able to complete for other clients of the same age such as third baseman Matt Chapman and shortstop Marcus Semien in recent seasons. However, both Chapman and Semien play more valuable positions than Alonso.
In what was a long and difficult offseason last year for the slugger, Alonso, whose .788 OPS in 2024 was the lowest of his career, ultimately signed a two-year, $54 million contract with a player option after the first season to remain in New York.
The 30-year-old immediately returned to form in 2025 and posted his fifth straight season of 30 or more home runs to go along with 41 doubles which led the National League. His 80 extra-base hits ranked tied for fifth in MLB.
While Alonso's offense was restored, his defense regressed.
Not known as a defensive-minded first baseman, Alonso's defense, particularly his throwing, hurt the team on many occasions last season. To his credit, he continued to be one of the best at scooping the baseball at first base. Nevertheless, a transition to designated hitter in some capacity is likely in Alonso's future.
Although he's been a stalwart in the Mets lineup since his debut in 2019 — even breaking the franchise home run record this season — are his defensive shortcomings enough for New York, who will likely emphasize defense next year after a poor season on the field, to look elsewhere for a solution at first base?
Considering the possible price tag, length of contract and likely move to DH in the future, it'll be interesting to see if the Mets or any other team are willing to sign Alonso to the deal that he is seeking this offseason.
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