Deja vu in Queens, and not in the good kind. For the second straight offseason, Pete Alonso’s future with the New York Mets is hanging in the balance. He signed a multi-year deal last winter with an opt-out clause and is expected to test free agency again. And this time, if the Mets don’t play the cards right, it might be the end of the Polar Bear era in New York.

Alonso wrapped up a massive season—38 home runs, a National League–leading 41 doubles, and a reminder of why he is the franchise’s all-time home run leader with 264 bombs and counting. Sure, his 2024 season was lukewarm, and hence that contract—but 2025 has been all about his power bat.

But even after this, the New York Mets front office has no signs of total commitment. And according to Jim Bowden, this can cost them dearly. In Bowden’s column for The Athletic, he didn’t mince words. “The Mets were not willing to give him a long-term contract last offseason, and if they don’t change their tune this time around, they’ll probably lose him.”

Not just that, Bowden even predicts that Alonso will demand a contract for six years and $182 million. It’s a deal that would place him among the top-paid sluggers. Sure, some might say it’s selfish of him to want to move teams just for money—but doesn’t he deserve it?

Plus, with names like Kyle Tucker and Kyle Schwarber joining him in the free agency pool, the competition is ever so fierce. Not to mention that players like Pete Alonso don’t come to free agency ever so often.

His power, his leadership, and his legacy all demand a long-term contract, and if the Mets don’t offer, others might.

Now, Alonso’s defense might have slipped a little, but his consistency and his durability have been hard to replace. He has played all 162 games in back-to-back seasons, and he has hit 37 or more homers in five straight seasons. So, you can’t just forget and move on from a franchise icon like him. Not even if your backup plan is Munetaka Murakami.

Right now, the ball is in David Stearns’s court. Whether he gives Alonso the long-term contract or risks losing one of the beloved players in franchise history remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure.

Other teams are watching!

Can Pete Alonso be Fenway-bound?

In case Stearns and Steve Cohen decide to let go of Alonso, there is one place where he could be welcomed with open arms. The Boston Red Sox.

With Triston Casas sidelined and the offense lacking that middle-order spark, Pete Alonso’s power and consistency could be exactly what Boston needs to get back on track.

Kerry Miller from Bleacher Report, in fact, summed the situation perfectly.

“There’s a good chance they either re-sign Bregman or bring in either Alonso or Bo Bichette.” But it is unlikely that the team will sign more than one of them.

With that, signing Alonso would give the Red Sox a boost in many ways—

• In power production, Alonso has been among the league’s most consistent home run leaders since his debut in 2019.
• In leadership presence, his experience as a multi-time all-star could help stabilize the clubhouse, which is mostly full of youngsters.
• In market appeal, Boston Red Sox fans love the fiery competitors, and Alonso and his intense energy go perfectly well with the club’s persona.

But even beyond the stats, Alonso’s personality seems tailor-made for Fenway Park.

Imagine him sending balls over the Green Monster and feeding off that Boston crowd—somehow it feels right.