Pete Alonso returning to Mets on two-year deal

Pete Alonso, one of the most beloved homegrown Mets ever, isn't going anywhere.

The Mets and the first baseman have agreed to a two-year deal with an opt-out, as SNY's Andy Martino first reported. The deal will pay Alonso $30 million in the first year with $24 million going to the slugger in the second year if he opts in.

Over the last two years, as Alonso neared free agency, Mets brass and Alonso's camp — led by agent Scott Boras — repeatedly said they were open to an extension that would keep Alonso in Queens.

That extension didn't come to fruition before the end of the 2024 season, but the willingness of the two sides to keep the relationship going was always apparent. Even if it took a while to get here.

Alonso, who will be entering his age-30 season in 2025, is 26 home runs shy of tying the Mets' all-time home run record of 252, which is held by Darryl Strawberry.

And the Mets retaining Alonso puts to bed any worry of New York having to find a replacement for him at first base and — more importantly — in the middle of the lineup.

"He's a great Met," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said about Alonso at the end of October. "I hope we have him back. I think we both understand this is a process, and everyone's got their own interest. And Pete deserves to go out into the free agent market and see what's out there, and then ultimately make the best choice for him and his family."

Stearns added: "I think Pete has been absolutely a foundational piece for this organization. A tremendous Met. He's performed at a very high level."

Over the last few seasons, Alonso's production at the plate has dipped.

After posting an .869 OPS in 2022, Alonso had an .821 OPS in 2023, and a .788 OPS in 2024 — the lowest mark of his career. But it's not unreasonable to think he can again unlock the kind of hitter he was between 2019 and 2022.

When Alonso is at his best, he's not just a home run threat. He's someone who will shorten up and spray singles the other way, and a player who will hit doubles in bunches. He also draws his fair share of walks, including 70 in 2024. So it's unfair to simply label him as a masher.

Another huge thing Alonso has going for him is durability.

During his six-year career, he has played 846 of a possible 888 regular season games. Like Francisco Lindor, Alonso prides himself on being present for his team. That was never more evident than in 2024, when he played in all 162 regular season games and all 13 in the playoffs.

In the postseason, Alonso shined, lifting the Mets to a Wild Card Series win over the Milwaukee Brewers with his go-ahead three run homer in the ninth inning of Game 3. He hit .308/.444/.846 with two homers in the Mets' four-game NLDS win over the Phillies, and had six hits (including a homer) and five walks against the Dodgers in the NLCS as he posted an .838 OPS over six games.

Beyond what Alonso does on the field, there was the emotional aspect to consider. Some other teams in recent situations with homegrown fan favorites have moved on. And it's kind of worked out for the Atlanta Braves, who replaced Freddie Freeman with Matt Olson. But it's been a disaster for the Boston Red Sox, who traded Mookie Betts and don't have much to show for it.

While the Mets could've conceivably replaced Alonso by sliding Mark Vientos to first base, adding someone in free agency or via trade, or by keeping first base warm until Ryan Clifford is hopefully ready in 2026, there was really no good argument to do so unless Alonso's market got out of control. Fortunately for the Mets, it didn't.