The New York Mets are once again staring down a franchise-defining decision. Pete Alonso, the club’s homegrown slugger and newly crowned all-time home run leader, is back on the open market after opting out of his two-year deal. And just like last offseason, the team must decide whether to commit big money to its centerpiece power hitter or risk letting him walk.
Alonso’s Case for Staying in Queens
Danny Abriano of SNY notes that Alonso enters free agency in far better shape than he did a year ago. In 2025, the first baseman played all 162 games and put up some of the most balanced numbers of his career. He slashed .272/.347/.524, slugged 38 homers, and drove in 126 runs while also setting a new personal high with 41 doubles. With runners in scoring position, Alonso thrived—hitting .309/.401/.634 across more than 200 plate appearances.
That production made him a five-time All-Star and cemented his place in Mets history. Alonso’s 264 home runs now top the franchise leaderboard, putting him ahead of names like Darryl Strawberry and Mike Piazza. For a fanbase still reeling from another lost season, his consistency at the plate has been one of the few bright spots.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns echoed the same careful tone he struck last winter when asked about Alonso’s future. “Pete is a great Met,” Stearns said, praising Alonso’s year but stressing that decisions like this involve “the holistic package”—not only what a player does on the field, but also what he means to the community and the fanbase.
Advanced metrics strengthen Alonso’s argument to stay. He ranked in the 90th percentile or better in exit velocity, barrel percentage, and xSLG, proving he remains one of the league’s most dangerous bats. His durability also cannot be overlooked: Alonso has appeared in 1,008 of a possible 1,032 games across his career, including back-to-back seasons without missing a single contest.
The Risks and Reality for the Mets
Still, Abriano points out the flip side. Alonso’s defense remains one of the weakest spots in his game. He finished near the bottom of the league in Outs Above Average and struggled with accuracy on throws, even contributing to teammate Kodai Senga’s midseason hamstring injury with an errant toss. With Stearns emphasizing run prevention, that’s a glaring concern.
There’s also the financial weight of his next deal. At 31 years old, Alonso is expected to seek a long-term contract worth around five or six years at $30 million per season. That’s a steep price for a player entering the stage of his career where regression becomes a real risk. His rising strikeout totals—162 in 2025 after 172 the year before—only heighten those concerns.
The market may not cooperate with his demands, though. Last winter, Alonso’s free agency never gained traction outside of brief buzz from the Blue Jays. The same could play out now, with few contenders needing a first baseman and others like the Yankees and Cubs already set.
That reality could once again push Alonso back toward Queens. The Mets don’t have a viable internal replacement—Mark Vientos slumped badly, and prospects like Ryan Clifford are still years away. Combined with Alonso’s durability, star power, and popularity, the emotional argument for re-signing him remains as strong as ever.
The Mets are weighing logic against loyalty, performance against price. Just like last offseason, the most sensible outcome might be Alonso winding up back in orange and blue.
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