All offseason long, as the Mets and free agent Pete Alonso danced while New York was busy signing Juan Soto to the most monumental deal in the history of the franchise and making a ton of other upgrades to a now-loaded roster, there were people who kept twisting themselves into knots trying to figure out where else Alonso could land.
The Blue Jays? They never really made sense because their main focus has been attempting to re-sign first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and because their five-year deal for Anthony Santander was so heavily deferred that it was fair to believe any deal for Alonso would’ve been similarly structured — and undesirable.
The Giants? Aside from the fact that there was never any offer made to Alonso (as far as we know), San Francisco was an ill fit because its ballpark is a killer for right-handed power hitters. Why would Alonso go there while trying to rebuild his value? He wouldn’t.
The Angels? Of all the teams linked to Alonso, loosely or otherwise, Los Angeles — with an impetuous owner who loves giving out questionable deals — stood as perhaps the one that made the most sense when it came to a willingness to offer something no one else would. But they didn’t. And even if they had, Alonso would’ve been going to baseball purgatory.
The Yankees? This was perhaps the most nonsensical one, which was bandied about early in the offseason before the Bombers signed Paul Goldschmidt. It never made any sense — not with the Yankees already having two right-handed power hitters on long-term deals who strike out at a relatively high clip in the middle of their lineup. And not with them reluctant to carry a payroll of $300 million or more for the foreseeable future.
So when SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino broke the news on Wednesday night that Alonso and the Mets were in agreement on a two-year deal that will pay him $30 million in 2025 and $24 million in 2026 (if he doesn’t opt out), it should have surprised no one.
Alonso and the Mets were always going to find their way back to one another, because the fit made too much sense for both sides for it to not happen. Even when owner Steve Cohen candidly discussed his frustration with the situation, he made sure to leave the door open.
For the Mets, their lineup would’ve been fine without Alonso. But they’re not going for fine.
Had Alonso signed elsewhere, the Mets’ offense still would’ve been better situated than it was last season, since they would have in effect replaced Alonso with Soto. But that wasn’t enough — not for a team that shares a division with two other potential powerhouse teams in Atlanta and Philadelphia.
No, the Mets needed another legitimate bat in the lineup who could serve as protection for Soto. And Alonso was it.
The Mets let it be known that they would’ve been comfortable shifting Mark Vientos from third base to first base while going with a combination of Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuña, and Ronny Mauricio at third base had Alonso signed elsewhere.
But while the above could’ve worked out, there was never any reason for New York to take the gamble.
The best bet was always Vientos staying at third base, where he can focus on his offense instead of on trying to master a new full-time position.
And while Baty, Acuña, and Mauricio all have upside, they are unproven. And in Mauricio’s case, he hasn’t even played since last winter, when he tore his ACL.
For Alonso, he had made it known repeatedly over the last few years that he would love to stay a Met.
While it’s understandable that Alonso might not be thrilled with the length of his new deal, he’s where he wants to be. And he’s set up to have an enormous year in a loaded lineup.
The Mets are the only big league franchise Alonso has ever known, and if he stays healthy this season he will likely shatter the club’s all-time home run record. That record (252, held by Darryl Strawberry) has stood for nearly 35 years. It could fall in 2025, as Alonso will enter the year with 226 homers under his belt.
Perhaps most importantly, there was seemingly no other team willing to offer Alonso as much as the Mets did.
Also, let’s dispel with this notion that Alonso would be right to harbor animosity toward the Mets because of the way things played out.
The Mets reportedly offered Alonso a seven-year extension for $158 million during the 2023 season. Alonso turned it down. Perhaps that was Alonso’s idea. Perhaps it was the idea of the agency he had before he hired Scott Boras. Either way, the Mets were not the ones at fault there.
That means that if Alonso has any ill-will, it should be toward either the 2023 version of himself or his former agency.
The Mets made a more than fair offer in 2023, Alonso rejected it, and the Mets then made another more than fair offer this offseason.
Beyond that, Alonso is a professional, and there is absolutely no reason to think any of this will impact him on the field this season.
Conversely, it can be argued that Alonso was impacted as he pressed to perform in his walk year. After being a terrific hitter with runners in scoring position over the first five years of his career, Alonso struggled badly in that regard last season. I think it’s fair to believe Alonso didn’t all of a sudden forget to hit in those spots, and that he’ll be a force in those situations this season.
Alonso will again be highly motivated to perform, since in an ideal world he’ll opt out after the year and get a massive payday. But he also has a guaranteed $24 million sitting there for him for 2026 if he wants it. So the pressure should be largely off.
Now that the dance is over, Alonso is back where he should be. And the Mets are poised to have an offense that’s as potent as the incredibly special ones they had in 1999 and 2006.
Following the Mets’ magical run to the NLCS last season — a run that wouldn’t have been possible if not for Alonso’s series-altering three-run homer against the Brewers in the Wild Card Series — it would not have felt right if Alonso wasn’t part of the group that now includes Soto. A group that will try to finish what last season’s team started. So it’s a good thing for Alonso and the Mets that this reunion was always going to happen, regardless of the circuitous route they took to get here.
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