The Pete Alonso era in Queens appears to have come to an end. The New York Mets have seemingly moved on from the homegrown talent after the two sides were unable to come to a contract agreement.
The Mets brought back outfielder/designated hitter Jesse Winker on a one-year, $7.5 million contract. The team acquired Winker from the Washington Nationals at the 2024 trade deadline. The Mets will also reportedly use the money allotted for Alonso to bring in a top reliever, with Tanner Scott, Kenley Jansen, Carlos Estevez, and Kirby Yates among the possibilities.
Alonso returning to the Mets initially seemed likely. The four-time All-Star saw his free-agency options dwindle as teams like the Nationals, New York Yankees, Cleveland Guardians, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Texas Rangers filled their first-base vacancies via trades or signings.
However, Alonso wasn’t able to secure the long-term deal he wanted from the Mets and when his camp offered a shorter-term contract, they couldn’t get together. Now, the Mets are moving on as they believe Alonso will sign elsewhere for 2025.
Related: New York Mets reportedly pivot away from Pete Alonso after signing former All-Star
What did the New York Mets offer to Pete Alonso before moving on?
According to New York Post’s Joel Sherman and Dan Martin, the Mets offered Alonso a three-year deal between $68 and $70 million, which was rejected. The MLB insiders referred to the contract as a “last-ditch effort” to sign the Polar Bear.
“The Mets did not send out a statement that the Alonso Era was done. But they have come to believe — without some unexpected late reversal — that it is,” Sherman and Martin report.
If this is the end for Alonso in Queens, he will go down as one of the best sluggers in Mets history. He has the third-most home runs in franchise history with 226 — just 27 shy of breaking Darryl Strawberry’s record of 252.
The Toronto Blue Jays have emerged as one of the favorites to sign Alonso now. As for the Mets, they will most likely move Mark Vientos from third to first base, and have Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuna, and Ronny Mauricio battle it out in spring training for the hot corner.