The New York Mets may end up regretting it if the team lets superstar first baseman Pete Alonso walk in free agency this offseason.
Alonso has spent the first seven seasons of his career in New York, where he has excelled. A five-time All-Star and National League Rookie of the Year, Alonso has continued to be one of the best hitters in baseball. The 30-year-old slugger slashed .272/.347/.524 this season, mashing 38 home runs and driving in 126 runs. In his seven-season career, Alonso has only hit fewer than 30 home runs once in the shortened 2020 MLB season.
After failing to come to terms with the Mets on a long-term extension last season, Alonso signed a two-year, $54 million contract with a player option in the second year, according to Spotrac. With the slugger opting out of the second year of his contract, he is set to test free agency again, which could be bad for the Mets.
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden recently listed the Mets’ NL East rival, the Philadelphia Phillies, as one of the best fits for the star first baseman.
“Alonso became the Mets’ all-time home run leader this year (he’s now at 264) and he put together a nice rebound season after a down 2024, hitting 38 bombs and leading the National League with 41 doubles,” Bowden wrote Monday. “He is beloved in Queens, and the feeling is mutual.
“The Mets were not willing to give him a long-term contract last offseason, and if they don’t change their tune this time around, they’ll probably lose him. Alonso has belted 37 or more homers in each of the last five seasons and although he’s a below-average defender at first base, he works at it and he’s durable, having played all 162 games in each of the past two seasons.”
The Phillies have their own slugger to prioritize in free agency in Kyle Schwarber, but could still look to target Alonso if they need a slugger. Though it would be bad for the Mets to lose Alonso in general this offseason, losing him to a division rival that they have to play against often would be the worst possible scenario.
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