It took a record-breaking $765 million deal to bring outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Mets, but now that the 26-year-old superstar is set to join the team in Queens, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has another critical task ahead: finding a powerful bat to hit behind Soto in the lineup. One of the biggest questions facing the Mets this offseason is whether they will re-sign their homegrown slugger, first baseman Pete Alonso, or if they will part ways with him to make room for a potential acquisition like third baseman Alex Bregman.
As the winter season approached, Alonso appeared to be a potential fit for several teams. However, the New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Washington Nationals, all of which could have used a player of his caliber, ultimately chose to pursue other options. With those teams out of the mix, the Mets have emerged as the “most obvious fit” for Alonso’s services. Despite this, negotiations between the Mets and Alonso’s camp have hit a significant roadblock, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The gap in talks raises the question: can the two sides come to an agreement?
FOX Sports’ Rowan Kavner believes there’s still hope for a deal, predicting that Alonso will ultimately stay with the Mets on a long-term contract. “Now that the Astros and Yankees have already filled their first-base needs in free agency, I think it comes down to the Mets and San Francisco Giants for Alonso, with a return to Queens being the most likely outcome,” Kavner wrote. “I could see this contract getting creative, but let’s say six years, $156 million.”
This contract offer would be very close to the seven-year, $158 million extension that Alonso turned down in June 2023. If he stays with the Mets, he’s in a prime position to etch his name in franchise history. With 226 home runs through his first six seasons in the big leagues, Alonso currently ranks third in Mets history for homers. If he remains in Queens, he will have two more homegrown legends to surpass before claiming the title of the franchise’s all-time home run leader: David Wright, who hit 242 homers, and Darryl Strawberry, who launched 252.
Alonso’s power bat has been one of the cornerstones of the Mets’ offense since he debuted in 2019, and his presence in the lineup has been crucial to the team’s success. Whether he stays or moves on, his future with the Mets remains one of the most closely watched storylines as the offseason progresses, and it will have a significant impact on how the team shapes its lineup for years to come. With a $156 million deal potentially in the works, it’s clear that the Mets see Alonso as a vital piece of their future—and they’ll do what it takes to keep him in New York.