Pete Alonso's $54,000,000 Mets decision spells trouble for Dodgers, claims MLB analyst

After weeks of frustrating negotiations, Pete Alonso and the New York Mets agreed a $54 million deal, with analyst Ben Verlander reckoning it makes the Mets as strong as the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 30-year-old slugger helped the Mets to the NLCS last year, where they lost to the eventual World Series champions Dodgers. While the Mets' marquee signing of the offseason was Juan Soto, re-signing Alonso was almost just as important.

Having made several big additions and re-signing Alonso, Verlander said on the Flippin Bats podcast that the Mets could beat the Dodgers in the playoffs this year (24:17):

"This Mets lineup is one of the best in the game of baseball. Francisco Alvarez, their catcher, said the other day it is the best in baseball and said it is better than the Dodgers. I don't know if I would quite go that far but the Mets lineup with the addition of Pete Alonso - one, it was a necessary pickup for them, but two, it does make them very good and very competitive in the National League.

"(Gives them) every bit the chance to beat the Dodgers when it comes to the playoffs. There are a handful of teams, in my opinion, that are good enough in a five or seven game series that can beat the Dodgers. The Mets are one of them and this Pete Alonso signing was huge for them. So Pete back to the Mets, two-year deal, $54 million with an opt-out in there."

Since Pete Alonso made his MLB debut with the New York Mets in 2019, he has established himself as an elite power hitter, his numbers second only to Aaron Judge.

The outfielder has made four All-Star appearances and finished as the MLB home run leader in 2019 and the NL RBI leader in 2022.

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Mets owner Steve Cohen looking forward to Pete Alonso chasing the franchise home run record this year

Pete Alonso's new contract with the New York Mets was finalized earlier this week, giving fans a reason to celebrate ahead of Spring Training.

After the signing was completed, owner Steve Cohen said:

"We’re excited to welcome Pete back to Queens. He is a homegrown talent who is adored by our fanbase. It should be a fun summer at Citi Field watching Pete contribute to a great lineup and chase the franchise home run record.”

Alonso is third in the Mets' home run record leaderboard, with only Darryl Strawberry and David Wright ahead of him. The slugger is projected to hit 36 homers in the MLB this season, which would see him take first place in the franchise's record books.