The New York Mets were just two wins away from reaching the 2024 World Series. They wouldn’t have gotten that close if first baseman Pete Alonso hadn’t hit a clutch home run against the Milwaukee Brewers to win their Wild Card Series matchup. Will Alonso and the Mets reunite in hopes of making more postseason magic in the coming years?
President of baseball operations David Stearns is set to have a busy winter. While the Mets are courting Juan Soto and reloading the starting rotation, Alonso hitting free agency leaves a huge hole at first base.
He’s slugged 226 home runs since his 2019 debut, which already ranks third in franchise history. The right-handed hitter has been a consistent presence in the middle of New York’s lineup over the years. He’s never played in fewer than 152 games in a full season and has produced five performances of 30-plus home runs.
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While Alonso still fits perfectly with the Mets on paper, will they find a way to get a deal done? Andrew Tredinnick and Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com both think the slugger isn’t going anywhere and will re-sign with New York. If this does come to pass, the other big unknown is how much Alonso will eventually sign for.
Spotrac has pegged his market value at six years and $174 million, but other predictions are coming in lower than that. The Athletic’s Tim Britton projects the Scott Boras client will land a five-year, $140 million contract.
Alonso probably won’t get a true sense of his market until Soto signs. The ultimate price of the 29-year-old’s next contract will be determined by how many clubs are seriously bidding for his services. If the market doesn’t form as much as he hopes, his contract could be in the $140 million range. But if a bidding war gets started, he could get close to that Spotrac estimate.
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