Pete Alonso’s future with Mets hangs on $90M short-term deal, per MLB insider

It's been a long offseason for four-time All-Star Pete Alonso. The hard-hitting first baseman has been one of the most prolific home run hitters in the majors since his debut in 2019. However, his free agency market may not have been what he thought it was. Despite putting up impressive numbers throughout his career so far, Alonso remains available in free agency.

It remains to be seen how much Alonso will sign for and, perhaps, more importantly, where he will sign. After being linked to a number of different clubs this offseason, several potential suitors opted to go in a different direction at first base. Christian Walker, Paul Goldschmidt and Carlos Santana are some of the first basemen who have already inked new deals. So where does this leave Alonso?

A return to the New York Mets might be the best option for Alonso. That being said, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal pointed out that the first baseman's age and the preference to sign young players is creating a bit of a roadblock in negotiations.

"Years seem to be the problem," Rosenthal said on Thursday's episode of Foul Territory. "David Stearns, as president of baseball operations, is a guy we have seen, certainly does not like to go long-term with pitchers and position players entering their 30s he seems to have the same opinion of."

The Mets have been willing to throw massive contract offers at players in the past. However, they were all young and had not yet entered their primes. The club offered massive deals to two players, Juan Soto and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. For Alonso, his future as an everyday first baseman remains a question, which is why Rosenthal thinks that a short-term deal might be his best option.

"The way I see this playing out, the way it makes the most sense to me is short-term high dollars," Rosenthal added. "Say, three years, $90 million, that's been out there as a possibility. That's a lot of money. That's the highest AAV ever for a first baseman by a good amount."

New York Mets could look at internal options to replace Pete Alonso at first base

The New York Mets would improve their chances of winning the World Series in 2025 by bringing Pete Alonso back into the fold. That being said, if the two parties cannot come to an agreement, the Mets could look at shifting their infield around internally.

There are rumors that the Mets could move third baseman Mark Vientos to first base as a replacement for Alonso. The team could look at one of their other infielders to fill the void at third base or look to the free agent market. Veterans like Alex Bregman and Yoan Moncada are still looking for their next contract.