Mets may have new idea in mind for Pete Alonso if he returns

The fallout of the New York Mets' stunning collapse is still being processed, as the team tries to identify what went wrong and prevent it from happening again. One big flash point in the Mets' offseason plans is how to proceed with Pete Alonso, who is opting out of his contract to test the free agent market.

Pete Alonso says he will opt out and become a free agent this offseason

On his future with the Mets: "Playing for this organization, this city - they've continued to believe in me. I love playing here. There's some great guys in this clubhouse, some great people on the staff.… pic.twitter.com/Lpa32DEEno
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) September 28, 2025

There is a good chance Alonso has earned a significant raise on his next contract after essentially taking a pillow deal last winter. The Polar Bear will no longer have a qualifying offer attached to him, meaning an acquiring team won't need to surrender draft picks to add Alonso to its roster, and his platform season was far better than what he produced during the 2024 campaign.

Would 5 years and $175 million get a deal done for Pete Alonso?@JimDuquetteGM gave his first proposed contract on Baseball Night in New York

▶️ Tri-State @Cadillac pic.twitter.com/6s3F1glqQC
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) October 1, 2025

While Alonso's power production should make him a valuable asset for the next few years, there is a question about how long his contract would be as an offense-first player at first base. Defensive metrics have never been kind to Alonso and he made some critical errors this season, having more difficulty throwing to bases than ever before; for example, he misplayed two key ground balls in last Friday's loss to Miami that helped extend a brutal six-run inning.

The Mets could use Alonso's bat behind Juan Soto once again, especially since they want to win now and it will be almost impossible to replace his production with a weak free agent class. There is, however, an idea the team is considering that could give them the best of both worlds.

The Mets May Ask Pete Alonso To DH More Often

One thing to keep an eye on, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic, is the possibility of the Mets asking Alonso to accept more of a DH role going forward. Sources familiar with the club's thinking indicated that the Mets understand the need to improve defensively, with the right side of the infield being an area of emphasis after both Alonso and Jeff McNeil regressed on that side of the ball.

Some early reporting on Pete Alonso, who unsurprisingly said he will opt out: https://t.co/L2s4if3XoX
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) September 29, 2025

That thinking lines up with one of the themes of David Stearns' season-ending press conference, where he said the Mets' top priority this winter is to address run prevention. While most assumed this would mean improvements from the rotation, run prevention can be addressed with better defensive play. This could come with New York acquiring a first baseman that is a better defender, while having Alonso become their primary designated hitter.

"I think we're going to have to be open-minded on our position player grouping so that we can improve our run prevention."

David Stearns talks about how the Mets can improve their run prevention this offseason: pic.twitter.com/nb8TJftZqu
— SNY (@SNYtv) September 29, 2025

Using Alonso as a designated hitter would allow the Mets to kill two birds with one stone, keeping his bat in their lineup as a critical power threat while also allowing them to improve defensively. It is unknown how receptive Alonso would be to this pitch, however; he has prided himself on his defensive effort, while other teams may be more willing to let him stay at first base.

Moving Alonso to DH would also have a significant impact on Mark Vientos' future with the Mets. Stearns' emphasis on improving defense among his position player group is a strike against Vientos, who has never been the best fielder. Brett Baty's breakout 2025 season has made him the presumed favorite to take over at third base (Vientos' natural position), while removing the DH slot would either force Vientos to learn first base or be shipped out to another team that can promise him more playing time.

A DH move also may be a negative for Alonso's agent Scott Boras, who has long argued that Alonso deserves to be paid amongst the best first basemen in baseball. Teams are less inclined to pay a full time DH and putting Alonso in that group would make him direct competition for Kyle Schwarber, the market's top DH who will likely get a huge contract offer from the Philadelphia Phillies to stay put.

The DH option could, however, make the Mets more open to giving Alonso a longer-term offer since any worries about his defense would be lessened with more of a focus on just his bat. The market will surely impact Alonso's decision, but this path is a potential thread-the-needle move to allow the Mets to both keep the Polar Bear and become a better all-around defensive club.

The Mets May Ask Pete Alonso To DH More Often

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