The New York Mets’ offseason was marked by the signing of outfielder Juan Soto to the largest contract in sports history, spanning 15 years and $765 million.
Their other major signing was bringing back first baseman Pete Alonso on a two-year, $54 million contract. Alonso and the Mets did not reach an agreement until mid-February, and the contract includes a player’s opt-out after 2025.
With the way Alonso is performing this season, there may be multiple Major League Baseball clubs that needed to fill a void at first base who regret not expressing more interest in the 18-home-run slugger.
MLB Analyst Says There Was ‘Offseason Disrespect’ With Alonso
The New York Yankees, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets, among other clubs, needed a first baseman this past offseason. Another team rumored to have interest in Alonso was the Toronto Blue Jays, who signed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year contract extension.
“Alonso had a relatively down year in 2024, posting a .788 OPS. Still, he hit 34 home runs, drove in 88 runs, and had plenty of postseason heroics. The idea that Alonso wasn’t worth a lucrative five-year deal last offseason was extremely misguided,” Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly wrote Thursday.
“That notion looks even worse now that Alonso leads the NL in doubles and has a .929 OPS. Yes, he’s benefited from hitting behind Juan Soto. But Alonso is one of the game’s elite power hitters and is still only 30 years old. It was incredibly short-sighted to treat him like how some NFL teams have treated star running backs this past offseason.”
Kelly believes Alonso will exercise his opt-out after this season in hopes of a more significant deal in free agency, especially if he continues to hit well.
“Alonso will certainly exercise his opt-out in the offseason and return to free agency without a qualifying offer attached to him,” wrote Kelly. “He’ll get at least five years in free agency this time around, something the Mets could have just done last offseason.”
Why Did It Take So Long for Alonso to Sign?
Alonso has hit the fourth-most home runs since 2020, with 191. The players in front of him are Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies with 198, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers with 213, and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees with 233. That’s elite company.
Since his rookie season in 2019, the New York Mets first baseman’s season OPS has dropped below .800 just once, finishing with a .788 mark in 2024. Alonso has hit 34 or more homers in each of the last four seasons, including 46 in 2023.
Yet, there seemed to be hesitancy from front offices in MLB to give him the contract he deserved, including the Mets.
“That includes how the Mets acted, to be clear. New York played hardball with Alonso and got him back on a two-year, $54 million contract that includes an opt-out clause,” Kelly wrote.
The Houston Astros signed Christian Walker to a three-year, $60 million contract, and Alonso is leading him in every statistical category on Baseball Reference, including a 2.9 WAR compared to Walker’s -0.7.
Alonso’s bat would have been beneficial for teams who needed power in the middle of their lineup, but they may have another chance to sign him at season’s end if he opts out of his deal with the Mets.
Why MLB Teams Should Regret Not Signing Mets’ $54 Million Star