Pete Alonso tested free agency last winter, but it did not go as planned. He ended up re-signing with the New York Mets as the two sides agreed to a two-year, $54 million deal back in February.
However, many expected that he would opt out of his contract at the end of the season, and that is exactly what he did. Alonso will now test free agency once again, hoping it goes better than it did last year.
Alonso should get a ton of attention on the open market. He is coming off a season where he played in all 162 games for the second consecutive year, hitting .272/.347/.524 with an NL-leading 41 doubles, 38 home runs, and 126 runs batted in.
Former Gold Glove winner could help Mets move on from Pete Alonso
With how Alonso has performed this past season, he is well on his way to getting a big contract. That bag may be too much for the Mets to chase, and with their holes, they could be better off spending that money elsewhere, like on Alex Bregman, via Sports Illustrated's Zach Pressnell.
"While signing Alex Bregman away from the Boston Red Sox wouldn't replace Alonso at first, it would replace him in the lineup. Vientos would slide over to first and Bregman would slot in at third base."
Pressnell also believes that if the Mets wanted to, they could chase both Bregman and Alosno if Bregman opts out of his contract. Given Steve Cohen's aggressiveness and desire to be a contender, it would not be surprising, but it would limit the team's ability to bolster its pitching rotation.