Latest Pete Alonso-Mets Report Will Impact MLB Free Agency

The New York Mets have one of the best overall sluggers in baseball but he made it clear that he is ending to free agency on Sunday.

The Mets' season came to a disappointing end on Sunday and afterward, Pete Alonso made it clear that he loves the Mets, but that he will be opting out of his deal and heading to free agency.

"For me, playing for this organization, this city - they've continued to believe in me," Alonso said. "I love playing here. There's some great guys in this clubhouse, some great people on the staff. Every single day, it's been a pleasure coming to work and putting on the orange and blue.

"I've really appreciated it and have been nothing but full of gratitude every single day. Nothing is guaranteed, but we'll see what happens - I've loved being a Met. Hopefully, they've appreciated me the same."

Since Alonso said he would be opting out, obviously there's been speculation about where he could go. But, none of that matters right now. Most of it is just noise. It's too early to know where he could go despite what the speculation says. No matter what he does, it's going to impact MLB free agency in a big way. He's now one of the biggest names heading to the open market along with guys like Kyle Tucker and Kyle Scwarber. Teams who are a slugger away from contending, could consider the veteran. But, The Athletic's Will Sammon noted there's a "decent chance" Alonso returns to New York.

What will Pete Alonso do?

Sep 27, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates his solo home run against the Miami Marlins in the third inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

"If Alonso were to re-sign with the Mets, however, they’d likely need him to see some more time at designated hitter than he has in the past, people familiar with the club’s thinking suggested," Sammon said. "The Mets’ defense was bad. The need for better defense was acutely felt on the right side of the infield. There’s a decent chance Alonso returns. But it’s not a certainty. If another team stepped up last year, the Mets were prepared to move on from Alonso. Mets owner Steve Cohen said the negotiating process with Alonso was tougher than working out Juan Soto’s deal (Scott Boras is the agent for both players). This year, it’s probably best to buckle up again."

With Alonso heading to free agency, that will likely slow down markets for other first basemen available. Even if he does re-sign with the Mets, he's going to be the top first baseman available. He and Scwarber are the two best sluggers who will be available. We've seen over the last few years free agent markets move slowly waiting for big stars to sign. That was the case with guys like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, Blake Snell, Corbin Burnes, and the list goes on. Now, Alonso is heading to the open market and that will slow things down for other sluggers, no matter what he does.

More MLB: Pete Alonso Announcement Could Shake Up National League