After months of uncertainty and navigating a seemingly underwhelming market, Pete Alonso is reportedly heading back to the only big-league team he has ever known.
According to SNY's Andy Martino, the Mets homegrown slugger is returning to Queens, with Jon Heyman reporting a two-year, $54 million deal with a $10 million signing bonus, ending a prolonged free agency where Alonso seemed to have little alternatives other than continuing his career as a Met.
Of course, sticking with the Mets could have very well been Alonso’s preference, as he reportedly went to New York with a three-year contract offer with opt outs that was only pitched to the Mets. Now, he is in Queens to stay, coming back to a lineup that now includes Juan Soto in the middle.
Alonso’s return signifies a much-needed bat for New York to protect Soto, even after Alonso labored through a down year in his contract season. The 30-year-old hit .240 with a career-low 34 home runs and career-worst .788 OPS, the second straight season in which his OPS dropped nearly 40 points. Still, the four-time All-Star has proven to be durable (playing in all 162 games in 2024 and playing in at least 152 games each season of his career) and a reliable power bat, as his 34 bombs were considered a “down year.” He is just two seasons removed from hitting 46 homers, and has been one of the top sluggers in baseball since arriving in 2019.
By staying in Queens, Alonso is in position to rewrite the Mets history books. He is currently third all-time in franchise history in career slugging percentage, trailing only Mike Pizza and Darryl Strawberry, third in home runs and only 28 behind the record, ninth in total bases and sixth in RBI.
Alonso being back in the fold gives the Mets a vaunted offensive trio alongside Soto and Francisco Lindor, as New York looks to contend in a stacked National League in 2025.