Pete Alonso’s New York Mets tenure is going to last a little bit longer, after all.
The slugging first baseman and the only MLB team he has ever known agreed to a two-year, $54 million deal on Wednesday night, according to multiple reports. The first year of the deal is worth $30 million and includes an opt-out at its conclusion.
The agreement ends a significant and lengthy stand-off between Alonso and Mets management. President of baseball operations David Stearns made a three-year offer worth roughly $70 million with an opt-out after the first year last month that was declined by Alonso and his agent, Scott Boras.
It initially cast heaps of doubt upon the 30-year-old’s future with the team that drafted him seven years ago, with reports even surfacing that the Mets were preparing for life without him.
On Jan. 25, Cohen delved into the “exhausting” negotiations, saying while the pursuit and signing of Juan Soto to a historic 15-year, $765 million deal “was tough,” talks with Alonso’s camp was “worse.”
But a competitive market for Alonso never really materialized, likely scared away by the long-term, high AAV desires of the player and his agent. The Toronto Blue Jays were the only other legitimate suitor, though their offer never appeared to truly interest Alonso, while the Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants were loosely linked in recent weeks.
With each passing day, it became more and more clear that a reunion was coming sooner rather than later.
Alonso’s return guarantees a far deeper and more imposing lineup for a Mets team that has legitimate World Series aspirations in 2025 and beyond. He will bat clean-up behind an impressive top three of Francisco Lindor, Soto, and Mark Vientos.
