A reunion that seemed inevitable at times and improbable at others is finally official.
The New York Mets and Pete Alonso were at an impasse for most of the offseason. The four-time All-Star first baseman believed he was worth nine figures, while the Mets didn’t seem to be willing to give him more than three years, $70 million.
Unfortunately for Alonso, the rest of the first base market sorted itself out, either via free agency or trade, and there weren’t many suitors left. The Toronto Blue Jays seemed like a potential fit, but there was never any indication that they were ready to outbid the Mets.
On Wednesday night, the news became official. Alonso will be back at first base at Citi Field for at least one more season.
According to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Mets and Alonso are in agreement on a two-year contract with an opt-out after year one. Alonso will make $30 million for the 2025 season.
Though Alonso and agent Scott Boras can’t claim any victories with the short-term contract, Alonso’s 2025 salary is only $1 million shy of the record average annual value for a first baseman set by Miguel Cabrera.
The Mets, for their part, are getting exactly what they wanted: a short-term commitment. Alonso has been phenomenal in his six years as a Met, but his bat speed has begun to dip ever so slightly at age 30. They were scared of a long-term deal aging poorly, and at least for now, that concern isn’t present.
In 2024, Alonso slashed .240/.329/.459 – good stats, but a tick below his lofty career averages. He’s got 226 career home runs, so with 27 long balls this season, he would become the Mets’ all-time franchise leader.
There’s no telling what the market could look like a year from now, but Alonso will likely take the biggest contract he can if he has even a minor improvement on his 2024 numbers next winter. That’s a concern for a later date, though.
For now, the Mets and Alonso can focus on their shared goal: winning a 2025 World Series title. Hopefully, for the sake of all parties, there won’t be any hard feelings carried over from the negotiations.
UPDATE: Per Passan, the deal guarantees Alonso a total of $54 million over two years if he accepts his player option for 2026.
More MLB: Mets favored for reunion with beloved $2M role player despite Nick Madrigal signing
