Mets boss gives clarity on Pete Alonso’s future in Queens

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso was one of the most notable names in the market in the offseason after he elected for free agency at the end of the 2024 season.

While the Mets were interested in bringing Alonso back, the two parties were seemingly at a standstill in terms of their respective valuation of a potential contract for the All-Star slugger. After a prolonged free agency, Alonso eventually signed a two-year, $54 million contract with an option to opt-out after the 2025 season.

Mets owner Steve Cohen, who was part of the negotiations in the offseason, joined MLB insiders Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post to discuss Alonso's future on "The Show."

When asked what the Mets' plan for Alonso was in free agency and what the discussion with the slugger was in the offseason, Cohen replied (20:15 onwards):

"We always wanted Pete Alonso to come back to the Mets, and it was just the question of coming up the right deal that worked for both parties. We went down to Tampa. I wanted him to know that we wanted him. I wanted to make it personal and it was a great meeting.

"I'm glad it worked out and he's gotten off to a fantastic start. He's a fan favorite. We know he can opt-out at the end of the year, and we'll deal with that (later)."

Cohen also discussed what the Mets would do if Alonso was a free agent at the end of the season. He said (31:00 onwards):

"He's a great Met, and I said this last year, if we can work it out, we'll work it out, but he's going to go explore his market, and that's his right, and it's hard to know how those things work out. We're happy with him, you know, I believe he's happy to be a Met and that's a good place to start in any future discussions."

Pete Alonso continued to rake in Mets offensive blowout against Nationals

Pete Alonso continued his hot start to the season in the Mets' rout of the Washington Nationals on Monday. The All-Star infielder drove in three runs in five plate appearances with two hits and RBI in a 19-5 win.

His RBI night takes him to 27 for the season, the joint second on the leaderboard this season. A strong productive season for Pete Alonso this year could see him command a blockbuster deal in the offseason as he is expected to opt for free agency.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash