Why New York Mets may let Pete Alonso walk in free agency

There's a scenario where the Mets don't even try to re-sign Pete Alonso this winter.

May 20, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) reacts after striking out in the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The New York Mets have two key components to their success over the past half-decade entering free agency this offseason in Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz.

Fans were surely hoping that both of these guys would opt in to their respective player options and elect to stay in Queens. However, that was never going to happen, especially in Alonso's case. After he produced a career-best 2025 campaign that included him hitting .272 with an .871 OPS, 38 home runs, and 126 RBIs while playing in all 162 games, it was a foregone conclusion that he would opt out of his current deal with New York and test the free agency market.

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Now the question becomes what the Mets will pay Alonso in the open market, or if they're going to choose not to give him the deal he's seeking and instead let him sign with another team. Ask most within the MLB community, and they believe the Mets are still a favorite to sign Alonso — if only because of what he has already accomplished in his time there.

Sep 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) conducts an interview after hitting a walk off three run home run against the Texas Rangers during the tenth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

But not every MLB analyst is so keen on the idea that an Alonso and Mets reunion is the most likely outcome this winter.

ESPN Writer Asserts Mets May Let Pete Alonso Walk

In a November 5 article, ESPN MLB writer Jorge Castillo made a bleak prediction about Alonso's chances of playing for the Mets in 2026.

When assessing the Mets' free agency outlook, Castillo wrote, "There's the case of first baseman Pete Alonso, a free agent for the second straight offseason. Alonso wants a lucrative long-term deal coming off a rebound campaign.

"The Mets probably aren't going to give him one, which would leave first base to fill," he added.

Pete Alonso has changed his profile picture on Instagram….

It was once him in a Mets jersey 💔

H/T @metsbatflip1 pic.twitter.com/HHoAKJZrkt

— SleeperMets (@SleeperMets) November 4, 2025

It's unclear where Castillo has gleaned this opinion from. But his sentiment does make sense, given that the Mets weren't willing to give Alonso a long-term, lucrative deal last offseason.

And while Alonso is coming off a successful year, he's still one year older, which means that his inevitable regression is one year closer to arriving than it was when these two sides were last negotiating.

Despite this, it would be sad to see the Mets not even make Alonso a competitive offer, given everything he has meant to the franchise over the past six seasons. But baseball is a business, after all. And if David Stearns thinks that money could be better spent elsewhere, then he has to make the best choice for his club.