Pete Alonso isn’t going anywhere.
In a surprise development, the fan-favorite first baseman reached a two-year, $54 million contract to return to the Mets, a source confirmed to the Daily News. The first baseman will make $30 million in 2025, and can either opt out for the 2026 season or return to the Amazin’s with a $24 million player option.
Alonso’s agreement concludes a multiyear saga fraught with speculation about the slugger’s future in Queens. It reached a fever pitch when owner and CEO Steve Cohen expressed his displeasure with their recent negotiations on Jan. 25, calling negotiations with Alonso and his agent, Scott Boras, “exhausting” when speaking on a panel at the Amazin’ Day fan fest at Citi Field.
The 30-year-old was reportedly receiving interest from the Toronto Blue Jays. But, like many players in recent years, he preferred to not take their money.
He reportedly turned down a seven-year, $158 million extension offer during the 2023 season — before David Stearns’ hiring as the Mets’ president of baseball operations — and hired agent Scott Boras to represent him ahead of his much-discussed free agency.
Originally a second-round draft pick by the Mets in 2016, Alonso set an MLB rookie record with 53 home runs in 2019, then set a franchise record with 131 RBI in 2022.
Alonso is the only Met with multiple 40-homer seasons — a feat he achieved three times. His 226 home runs rank third in team history.
But Alonso’s production dipped in 2024, when he recorded 34 home runs, 88 RBI and a .788 OPS, all of which marked career lows, not including the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
The righty-swinging Alonso rebounded in the postseason, hitting one of the biggest home runs in franchise history with a go-ahead three-run blast in the ninth inning of the Mets’ Game 3 win against the Milwaukee Brewers in their wild-card series.
Alonso’s market was slow to develop, however, with Stearns believed to be reluctant to invest heavily in a first baseman entering his age-30 season
The Mets seemed to be pivoting this month when they signed outfielder Jesse Winker to a one-year, $8 million contract and reliever A.J. Minter to a two-year, $22 million deal, but in the end, there was enough money for Alonso to re-sign, too.
His return continues a busy offseason for the Mets, who last month signed superstar slugger Juan Soto to a record-setting 15-year, $765 million contract.