Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Mets predicted to lose top slugger in free agency this winter

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 7:00 PM ET

After a disappointing weekend series against the Miami Marlins, the New York Mets were able to bounce back to start their series against the Detroit Tigers with a thrilling win.

Nonetheless, the Mets' chances of chasing down the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East are starting to look slim. While there is still a lot of baseball to be played in the final month of the year, New York has blown some good opportunities, with their series against the Marlins having been a great opportunity to gain ground.

Even if the Mets can’t chase down the Phillies in the division, they are still in a strong spot in the Wild Card standings and should be a playoff team this year. One of the reasons for that has been the success of one of their sluggers.

This winter, there was a lot of uncertainty regarding whether or not New York and their star slugger, Pete Alonso, were going to be able to reach an agreement for him to return. After many strong years with the Mets, Alonso’s market in free agency seemingly didn't take shape like many were expecting it to.

While he was coming off a down campaign by his standards, Alonso’s market not developing was surprising. However, a deal was reached by the two sides for him to return to the Mets, and that has been a great thing for the franchise.

Alonso has been able to have a fantastic season and is a major reason why the Mets' lineup has been as good as it has this year, especially lately. However, it has become all but a given that the 30-year-old slugger will opt out of his contract after the year, and Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report predicted that he will walk in free agency, thus making this his final season in Flushing.

Will Alonso Leave New York?

With the Mets seemingly not being interested in giving Alonso the long-term deal that he was likely expecting over the winter, it is very possible that the two sides won’t be able to reach an agreement if that remains to be their plan.

Paying a power-hitting first baseman in their mid-30s is something that has caused some issues for other teams around the league in recent years. The Mets might be hesitant to commit to Alonso and pay him when he reaches that age.

However, while New York might not want to give him a long-term deal, someone else certainly will. Alonso has been one of the best first basemen in the majors this year, slashing .267/.346/.510 with 31 home runs and 110 RBI so far. Even though his market might not have developed last year, he should have plenty of suitors this time around.

This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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