Insider Believes Mets Have The Most Interest in Pete Alonso

While rumors persist about interest from the Angels and Giants, one insider believes the Mets remain the frontrunner for Pete Alonso.

Sep 30, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates after a victory over the Atlanta Braves and clinching a wild card playoff birth at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

As of Jan. 3, longtime New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso remains the top available first baseman on the free-agent market—just as he was when free agency opened in November.

Alonso, 30, has not found the market he was likely hoping for this winter. While many teams entered the offseason with first-base needs, several key suitors have since filled that position in other ways: the New York Yankees added Paul Goldschmidt, the Houston Astros signed Christian Walker, the Cleveland Guardians traded Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks and added Carlos Santana, and the Washington Nationals traded for Nathaniel Lowe.

With fewer teams still in the hunt for a high-priced first baseman like Alonso and limited viable replacements available for New York, both sides’ leverage in contract talks is diminishing. While rumors persist about interest from the Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants, MLB Network insider Jon Morosi believes the Mets remain the frontrunner.

“I still do not see any team in the major leagues that has a better chance of signing Pete Alonso than the New York Mets,” Morosi said Friday. “Whether it’s the Angels, Giants, or anybody else, I do not see a team right now that has more interest in Alonso than his original employer.”

"I do not see a team right now that has more interest in [Pete] Alonso than his original employer, the New York Mets."

- @jonmorosi on #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/HsmRlKrPP7

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 3, 2025

Alonso, who has spent his entire professional career with the Mets after they selected him 64th overall in 2016, made his MLB debut in 2019, smashing a rookie-record 53 home runs and earning Rookie of the Year honors.

After just six seasons, Alonso is a four-time All-Star, a two-time Home Run Derby champion, and just 27 home runs away from becoming the Mets' all-time leader. In 2024, he posted a .240/.329/.459 slash line with 34 home runs and 88 RBI in 162 regular-season games, later delivering a .999 OPS in the postseason.

It is easy to understand why the Mets might be willing to make a big financial commitment to retain their homegrown star, who could help protect newly signed superstar Juan Soto in the heart of their lineup for years to come. However, the sticking point appears to be the length of the contract, as Will Sammon of The Athletic speculated in his mailbag article published Thursday.

Alonso reportedly rejected a contract extension offer worth around seven years and $158 million before the 2023 trade deadline, following the precedent set by cross-town rival Aaron Judge, who cashed in on a nine-year, $360 million deal after hitting an American League-record 62 home runs in his walk year. This offer came before David Stearns took over as Mets president of baseball operations, and while Alonso's walk-year production was solid, it did not necessarily boost his value.

In 2024, Alonso posted the highest ground-ball rate of his career (42%), while his strikeout percentage (24.8%) was his highest since 2020—marking the second consecutive year that rate has risen. His OPS has also declined in recent seasons, from .869 in 2022 to .821 in 2023 to a career-low .788 in 2024, prompting questions about how many prime years the slugger has left.

That said, it is hard to argue that the Mets would be better off with Mark Vientos at first base and Brett Baty at third, which is how the roster is currently constructed. Since Alonso declined the $21.05 million qualifying offer earlier in the offseason, any team that signs him will need to surrender draft-pick compensation and international bonus pool money—another hurdle that could deter potential suitors not named the Mets.

It remains uncertain how long Alonso’s free agency will stretch, especially with spring training just a month away. However, given the trends set by other high-profile Scott Boras clients like Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman in recent years, it would not be surprising if the decision-making process extends even further into the offseason.