The New York Mets are in the midst of their final homestand of the regular season, a stretch that will conclude on Sunday and give way to a six-game road trip with stops in Atlanta and Milwaukee. It's possible, depending on how the National League wild-card race unfolds, that these come to represent the final home games that first baseman and impending free agent Pete Alonso ever plays as a member of the Mets organization.
Alonso, for his part, told the New York Post that he has a "gut feeling" that won't be the case. When he was asked if that was because he believed the Mets would make the postseason (and earn another home game), or if it was because he believed he would reach an agreement with the franchise on a new deal, he replied by saying "both," while clarifying that his side has not engaged in secretive extension talks.
"I love it here. It's a really special place," Alonso told the Post.
Alonso, 29, has only ever played for the Mets franchise since being drafted by New York in 2016. Across parts of six big-league seasons, he has hit .250/.340/.518 (135 OPS+) with 225 home runs and 20.1 Wins Above Replacement
It's unclear exactly how much Alonso will seek on his next contract. He reportedly rejected an extension offer back in 2023 that would have paid him $158 million over seven years -- a reasonable decision given that Paul Goldschmidt had previously signed a five-year pact worth $130 million. While MLB front offices are usually skeptical of handing over large contracts to aging right-handed first basemen, it seems fair to think that Alonso should fetch something like Goldschmidt's deal plus inflation.
The Mets will wrap up their series against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. They'll enter play with an 83-68 record that ties them with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second wild-card slot and gives both teams a two-game lead over the Atlanta Braves. The Mets are 2 1/2 games back of the San Diego Padres -- New York would need to overtake the Padres in order to host their Wild Card Series games.
The Mets and Braves will play a three-game set beginning next Tuesday. The winner of that series will lay claim to the season series, as well as the advantage in the event of a tie. First, though, the Mets have a four-game series against the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies to worry about. The Braves, at the same time, will be contending with the lowly Miami Marlins.
