Pete Alonso’s scorching start has the Mets thriving, but it might be pricing him out of Queens long-term.
The slugging first baseman is making the most of his short-term deal, slashing .341/.440/.681 with six homers and 26 RBI through his first 25 games. It’s exactly what the Mets hoped for when they signed him to a two-year, $54 million contract with a player option after this season.
That deal now looks like a masterstroke for the short term. “Signing Pete Alonso to that two-year, $54M deal (plus opt-out) might be the smartest thing the Mets did,” Jon Heyman wrote for the New York Post.
But there’s a catch. This torrid production is setting Alonso up for a massive payday that might not come from New York.
The negotiations to bring the homegrown slugger back this past offseason weren’t exactly smooth. The talks dragged deep into winter before both sides finally reached agreement. Now, with Alonso’s bat speaking volumes, extending him during the season seems unlikely.
“Considering the difficulty the Mets had forging a deal with their beloved slugger in winter, it’s a long shot to extend him in season,” Heyman noted.
If Alonso maintains anything close to his current pace, he’ll almost certainly exercise his opt-out and test free agency again. The difference? This time he’ll have significantly more leverage than last winter.
The financial implications are straightforward. “Alonso, third in MLB for OPS entering Thursday (1.122), surely will seek $35M-plus after Vladimir Guerrero got $35.7M on his $500M, 14-year deal,” Heyman wrote.
That price tag creates complications for the Mets despite their deep pockets. They’re already operating at an extremely high payroll level, meaning any substantial contract for Alonso would carry significant luxury tax penalties.
The 29-year-old seems determined to maximize his value. According to Heyman, Mets people say Alonso is “on a mission” this season — a mission that will likely end with him becoming an “unfettered free agent.”
The Mets’ powerful lineup built around Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor and Alonso has them looking like baseball’s best team. They can certainly enjoy the benefits of Alonso’s motivation this season. But if his mission concludes with the massive contract he’s tracking toward, it might also mean the end of his time in New York.
