New York Mets, Pete Alonso Currently Expected to Reunite

The current expectation is that the New York Mets will re-sign first baseman Pete Alonso, barring another team swooping in.

Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates with teammates after the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers game five of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The market for Pete Alonso has been moving ever so slowly and the New York Mets are still in need of a first baseman or another big bat after landing Juan Soto.

The options for first basemen have dwindled as Christian Walker, Paul Goldschmidt, Josh Bell and Carlos Santana all came flying off the free agent board last month, while Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Naylor were traded to new teams.

Bringing back Alonso makes too much sense for both sides at this point, but it's unknown if and when they will reach an agreement.

For now, ESPN insider Jeff Passan is reporting that until another club steps up in the sweepstakes, the expectation is that Alonso will go back to the Mets.

However, Alonso appears unlikely to receive the long-term deal he is seeking given he is a power-hitting 30-year-old first baseman and coming off a bit of a down campaign in 2024.

"Alonso will almost certainly get an opt-out-laden short-term deal," Passan wrote.

The widespread industry belief is that Alonso will re-sign with the Mets, the organization he has spent his entire professional career with after being drafted in the second-round in the 2016 MLB Draft.

Alonso is also important to the Mets and their fanbase. Upon making his major league debut in Queens in 2019, Alonso quickly became a franchise cornerstone.

As a homegrown star, Alonso is just 27 home runs away from slugging the most long balls in Mets history, a milestone he is destined to eclipse in 2025 should he return. And since his rookie season, no player has hit more homers in the National league than Alonso's 226.

Despite a down year, Alonso stepped up for the Mets in the postseason with four homers and a .999 OPS. With the Mets two outs from elimination in Game 3 of the Wild Card, Alonso crushed a go-ahead three-run homer off All-Star closer Devin Williams to save the season.

Alonso turned down a seven-year, $158 million contract extension offer from the Mets in 2023, which would have bought out his final year of arbitration.

If the Mets retain Alonso, it could make them heavy World Series favorites given the arrival of Soto. Should he walk, they won't have many sufficient replacement options available unless they get more aggressive for third baseman Alex Bregman.