MLB insider claims Pete Alonso 'plans to opt out again' after 'disappointing' free agency deal
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso enjoyed a strong 2024 campaign, finishing the regular season batting .240, going yard 34 times and recording 88 RBIs. Earning his fourth All-Star selection for his consistent performances, Alonso played an important role as the Mets clinched a playoff spot and made it to the NLCS for the first time since 2015.
With free agency on the horizon at the end of the season, Alonso would perhaps have expected several bumper deals waiting for him come the winter. However, things did not pan out that way, and he ultimately settled for a two-year, $54 million contract extension with the Mets, with an opt-out clause at the midway point of the deal.
According to sportswriter Bob Nightengale of USA Today, that is an option Alonso is seriously considering in an effort to extract as much value from his existing deal as possible.
"He wound up having the Toronto Blue Jays as his only serious suitor before going back to the Mets on a two-year, $54 million deal, with plans to opt out again after this year," Nightengale wrote on April 13.
With the added context of his impressive run so far this season, there is every chance teams may decide to finally offer him a deal more in line with his expectations this time around.
Pete Alonso's teammate commends first baseman's strong start to 2025 season
Currently batting .340 with four home runs and 18 RBIs, Pete Alonso has really hit the ground running in 2025. Talking about the first baseman's fine displays of late, teammate Brandon Nimmo commended Alonso's 'hard work.'
"He (Pete Alonso) has looked really comfortable. He's been aggressive in his zone but he's not chasing a lot and when he does that, it's really tough to pitch to him because he can hit the barrel anywhere it's pitched," Nimmo said, speaking to Steve Gelbs of SNY.
"For me, I'm just seeing a really solid approach, a really solid swing, and then we know what can happen when he finds the barrel. So, really impressed by him so far, it's been awesome and we expect a lot of this out of him. He's put in a lot of hard work to do this."
As the Mets aim to improve on an excellent 2024 season and challenge for both the NL East and World Series in 2025, fans will hope Pete Alonso can continue to perform at a similar level throughout the season. Alonso, too, will definitely be motivated to do so, with the prospect of an improved contract waiting for him if he has a monster year.