Sean Manaea Hoping New York Mets Bring Back Pete Alonso

On Monday afternoon, Sean Manaea spoke to the media for the first time since re-signing with the New York Mets. As anticipated, other storylines were also discussed during the press conference.
After expressing his excitement about reuniting with former Padres teammate Juan Soto, the left-hander was asked about free-agent first baseman Pete Alonso. Manaea shared his hope that the Mets can bring him back, despite the slow-moving market.
"Whatever happens with Pete, I'm always going to support him, but I would definitely love to have him back on the Mets and be our first baseman," Manaea said. "Hopefully, we can get that done, but whatever happens at the end of the day, I'm gonna be happy for him either way."
Sean Manaea says he's "very much" hoping that Pete Alonso will be back with the Mets:
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) January 13, 2025
"Whatever happens with Pete, I'm always going to support him, but I would definitely love to have him back on the Mets and be our first baseman." pic.twitter.com/FlfVWQmtMo
Alonso, 30, has spent his entire six-year career in Queens. In 2024, the right-handed slugger posted a .240/.329/.459 slash line with 34 home runs and 88 RBI, playing in all 162 regular-season games. He finished the season just 27 home runs shy of the Mets’ all-time record.
In the postseason, Alonso excelled, posting a .999 OPS in 13 games. He hit four home runs, including a memorable three-run blast in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series against then-Brewers, now-Yankees All-Star closer Devin Williams. The homer came in the top of the ninth inning and proved to be a turning point in the series.
However, Alonso has yet to find the market he likely anticipated this offseason, leaving him among the top unsigned free agents. While many teams entered the winter with first-base needs, several possible suitors have already addressed that position: the Yankees signed Paul Goldschmidt, the Astros added Christian Walker, the Guardians traded Josh Naylor to the Diamondbacks and acquired Carlos Santana, and the Nationals traded for Nathaniel Lowe.
With fewer teams seeking a high-priced first baseman like Alonso and limited viable alternatives available to the Mets, both sides’ leverage in contract talks has shifted. Interestingly, Alonso and Manaea's fitness club shared a TikTok video on Monday morning featuring the two players working out together in Florida.
Pete Alonso and Sean Manaea's fitness club posted a video this morning of the two players working out together in Florida
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) January 13, 2025
(via TikTok/dieseloptimization) pic.twitter.com/ihowyFvPiX
Manaea, who turns 33 in February, made 32 starts for the Mets during the regular season, posting a 12-6 record, a 3.47 ERA, and 184 strikeouts over a career-high 181.2 innings. From July 1 through his final postseason appearance, Manaea registered a 3.40 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and 127 strikeouts in 124.1 innings.
Like Alonso, Manaea was a key contributor to the Mets' run to the NLCS. In his first three October starts, he allowed just five earned runs over 17 innings (2.65 ERA) against the Brewers, Phillies, and Dodgers, earning wins in Game 3 of the NLDS and Game 2 of the NLCS. However, his Game 6 start in Los Angeles ended the Mets' postseason hopes when he surrendered five runs in two innings during a 10-5 loss.
The Mets rewarded Manaea with a three-year, $75 million contract in late December, adding him to a revamped pitching staff that also includes free-agent acquisitions Clay Holmes and former A’s teammate Frankie Montas. Thanks to the deferred money in Manaea’s contract, the Mets may have a smoother path to re-signing Alonso than they initially expected after giving Soto a $765 million deal.
That said, FanGraphs currently projects the Mets' payroll for the upcoming season to be $276,981,886, putting them just shy of the third luxury tax threshold of $281 million. Any moves pushing their payroll beyond the newly introduced $301 million fourth threshold would trigger the steepest financial penalties under MLB's tax system.