NEW YORK— Pete Alonso, the New York Mets’ first baseman, has agreed to a $54 million, two-year contract, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the agreement, originally reported by The New York Post, was contingent on a successful physical.
Alonso receives a $10 million signing bonus, with salaries of $20 million this year and $24 million in 2026. He can opt out after the 2025 season and become a free agent again.
New York also offered a $71 million, three-year contract with salary of $27 million in 2025 and $22 million in each of the next two seasons, with the option to opt out after the first two years, according to the individual.
Alonso, who turned 30 on December 7, remained in the market longer than other elite players. Among other free-agent first basemen, Christian Walker agreed to a $60 million, three-year contract with Houston, while Paul Goldschmidt (New York Yankees) and Carlos Santana (Cleveland Indians) signed one-year contracts.
Last month, Mets owner Steve Cohen expressed dissatisfaction, claiming that the negotiations were more tough than the ones that resulted in a record $765 million, 15-year contract with Juan Soto, who, like Alonso, is represented by Scott Boras.
“I don’t like the structures that are being presented to us,” Steve Cohen expressed. “It’s highly asymmetric against us, and I’m very concerned about it.” I’ll never say no. You know, it’s always possible.
“But the reality is that we’re moving forward and bringing in new guys. And as we continue to add players, it becomes more difficult to fit Pete into our already pricey roster.”
Under his previous agency, Alonso turned away a $158 million, seven-year contract in 2023 that would have covered 2024-30. After the 2023 season, he switched representation to Boras and signed a $20.5 million, one-year contract that avoided arbitration.
Alonso hit 226 home runs in six seasons with the New York Mets and was a four-time All-Star, but his strikeouts steadily grew to a career high 172 last year, while his OPS fell to a career low.788.
As a Mets homegrown player, Alonso earned the nickname the Polar Bear and quickly became a fan favourite at Citi Field.
He was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2019, hitting.260 with a major league-high 53 home runs (a rookie record) and 120 RBI. In 2022, he tallied 131 RBIs, a career high.
Alonso batted at a career low.217 in 2023 while hitting 46 home runs and driving in 118 runs, and.240 with 34 home runs and 88 RBIs this season. His three-run home run off Devin Williams in the ninth inning helped the Mets defeat Milwaukee in the third game of their NL Wild Card Series.
After losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, the Mets signed Soto, right-handers Frankie Montas, Clay Holmes, and Griffin Canning, as well as left-hander A.J. Minter, and re-signed left-hander Sean Manaea, right-hander Ryne Stanek, and outfielder Jesse Winker.
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