Pete Alonso’s contract dilemma: Will the Mets secure him long-term or leave him in free agency?

It's been a curious offseason for long-time New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, to say the least. The four-time All-Star has been one of the most prolific home run hitters in the Majors since he debuted back in 2019. However, despite his production, his future remains uncertain.

Although Alonso is a game-changing talent, the market for a 30-year-old first baseman might not be what he may have expected. It's easy to see the massive contracts being dished out to superstars such as Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto. However, for Pete Alonso, he may need to change his contract expectations.

According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, there is a considerable gap between what the New York Mets are willing to offer the first baseman and how much Alonso is demanding. It is worth mentioning though that Heyman did not rule out a potential reunion between the home run juggernaut and the New York Mets.

There have been reports of the Mets willing to pay Alonso on a shorter-term deal with a higher annual average salary.

MLB insider Carlos Baerga reported that the Mets had offered Pete Alonso a three-year deal worth $90 million. This would not only allow Alonso to make a considerable salary over the next three seasons but also enter free agency again in the near future.

Another thing that could be working against a potential reunion between Alonso and the Mets is the team's willingness to explore other first base options in both free agency and on the trade market. There have also been rumors of the team potentially moving breakout third base star Mark Vientos to first base.

All of this being said, at this point, it might simply be a negotiation tactic by the New York Mets' front office. Pete Alonso is an All-Star talent and even though he is coming off a down season in 2024, which saw him post a .240 batting average with 34 home runs and 88 RBIs, he is still elite.

The Mets' other first base options aside from Pete Alonso continue to shrink

With the likes of Christian Walker, Paul Goldschmidt and Carlos Santana all signing deals with other clubs in free agency, the Mets' options are starting to run thin. At this point, it might be in the best interest of both the New York Mets and Pete Alonso to come to an agreement sooner rather than later.

While the Mets could explore the trade market in order to address their need at first base, veterans who have been linked to the team, such as Rhys Hoskins, leave something to be desired.

Time and time again, we have seen these types of standoffs in the past only for the two sides to reach an agreement. This very well could be the case again here. It may simply come down to who breaks first.