The New York Mets have a big hole to fill at first base now that homegrown slugger Pete Alonso is a free agent. There are several routes president of baseball operations David Stearns can take to address this need. Could it be as simple as re-signing Alonso to a long-term deal?
The Polar Bear has been a powerful fixture in the Mets' lineup since his 2019 Rookie of the Year campaign. He's never finished a 162-game season with fewer than 30 home runs or 80 RBI. His tenure has also included three different campaigns of at least 40 homers and 100 RBI, the most in franchise history. Alonso's 226 career homers rank third overall on the Mets' all-time list.
His 2024 performance could be considered a down year based on his past track record. He slugged 34 home runs with 88 RBI and a .788 OPS. While he was named an All-Star for the fourth time in his career, those were the lowest full-season numbers of his career.
The situation becomes more difficult because Alonso is entering his age-30 season in 2025. Handing out long-term deals to power-hitting first basemen after they turn 30 typically doesn't work out well (Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera are two examples).
However, Alonso's value to the Mets' lineup is undeniable, especially after he slashed .273/.431/.568 in 13 postseason games for New York. Hypothetical scenarios where he lands somewhere other than Queens on a long-term deal have been tossed around. But Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller is predicting the right-handed slugger will re-sign with the Mets on a five-year, $135 million deal.
He does note it's possible Alonso has to look elsewhere if the Mets sign outfielder Juan Soto. It'll be interesting to see what happens between New York and its homegrown slugger, especially since it sounds like he's not Stearns' top offseason priority.
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