Mets' Biggest Offseason Storyline Will Be This Free Agency Saga

One Mets slugger's impending free agency is sure to make waves this offseason.

Aug 7, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Mets first base Pete Alonso (20) on deck in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

On June 1, the New York Mets held a 24-34 record, were 16.5 games out of first place in the NL East division, and were likely to be sellers at the trade deadline if their current form continued.

Since then, the Mets have gone 36-20, inserted themselves into the NL Wild Card race, and were buyers at the trade deadline.

While this impressive run of success kept the Mets from considering selling some of their biggest superstars, the prospect of slugger Pete Alonso's impending free agency is still lingering in the back of everyone's minds.

And an August 7 MLB.com article that listed every team's biggest free agents served as a reminder about Alonso's uncertain future.

"All that talk of an extension never came to anything, so any team looking for power this offseason will not have to look far," MLB.com's Will Leitch wrote.

The 29-year-old Alonso avoided arbitration with the Mets by agreeing to a one-year, $20.5 million contract back in January.

The slugger (who is hitting .242 with a .790 OPS and 23 home runs this season) is reportedly looking to sign a contract worth at least $200 million this offseason.

Alonso's agent is Scott Boras, who is notorious for urging his clients to test the free agency waters. This is a major reason why any contract extension talks between Alonso and the Mets have stalled to this point.

Alonso and Yankees slugger Aaron Judge are tied for the most home runs in MLB since 2019, with 215.

That power in the middle of the Mets' lineup would be irreplaceable. This is why Alonso's looming free agency is sure to make headlines, regardless of how it ends.