The Mets are soaring with baseball’s best record this season, building on last year’s surprising NLCS run. And nobody’s driving their success quite like Pete Alonso.
The homegrown slugger is absolutely raking, slashing .337/.453/.635 with six homers and 27 RBI. His 1.088 OPS leads the entire National League, making him the team’s most productive player even as Juan Soto works through a relatively slow start.
Alonso’s hot streak is making the front office look brilliant after they brought him back on a two-year, $30 million deal with a $24 million player option for 2026. But don’t expect the big first baseman to stick around for that second year.
Mets owner Steve Cohen recently made it clear: Alonso will test free agency after this season.
“He’s going to explore his market, and you know that’s his right,” Cohen said on Monday’s episode of the New York Post’s “The Show” podcast with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman. Cohen added he was “supportive of” Alonso testing the market and that the team would “see where it goes.”
The four-time All-Star’s bargain contract is looking like one of the best values in baseball. But that’s precisely why he’ll opt out – his performance demands a bigger payday.
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That doesn’t mean a Mets reunion is off the table. Cohen emphasized that the relationship remains strong, potentially setting the stage for negotiations once Alonso explores his options.
“He’s a great Met, and I said this last year, if we can work it out, but he’s going to explore his market, and you know that’s his right,” Cohen explained. “It’s hard to know how those things work out. I know we’re happy with him. I believe he’s happy to be a Met and that’s a good place to start in any future discussions.”
The way things are going, a deep playoff run could strengthen both Alonso’s market value and his connection to the franchise. The Mets’ hot start has championship aspirations growing in Queens – and that might just factor into what happens with their slugging first baseman come winter.
