Having signed only a brief two-year deal with the New York Mets, the projected $177 million star’s future in Queens is far from certain. Pete Alonso has done fairly enough to suggest that she should stay in New York. However, after a strange offseason a year ago where David Stearns and Steve Cohen were unwilling to meet his price, it’s no surprise that many now wonder if the Mets are preparing to move on. Now, the man himself has made his stance known.

For the record, if Alonso does part ways with the Mets, there could be more suitors for him than there were last winter. Given that he’s expected to opt out after this season, he isn’t letting the contract talk distract him.

Instead, he’s concentrating fully on the present grind. “Potentials and hypotheticals might as well be fairy dust. It doesn’t matter.’ This could potentially be Pete Alonso’s last at-bat as a Met,’ how many times did people say that (last year)? Let’s pump the brakes on that.” He said while speaking with SNY. He’s aware that his stint with the Mets could be coming to an end. Yet, right now, he’d rather focus on helping the Mets win games.

Further, he added, “The people asking me are thinking about it more than I am, even when I’m going through it. I’ve got a job to do today; I can’t think about hypotheticals. I don’t have time! I’ve got to get my foot down and be ready to hit a 100 MPH fastball today. All of that stuff is meaningless—to me, at least.” Just last month, He became the Mets’ franchise leader in homers, surpassing Darryl Strawberry’s 252 homers. Most notably, his home runs not only bring value to the team but also provide much-needed lineup production for Juan Soto.

Meanwhile, the Mets are struggling massively as of now. Excluding Tuesday’s 8-3 win over the San Diego Padres, they’ve gone 2-8 in their last 10 games. So, although he’s not thinking about free agency, it’s only fair to discuss his next contract value.

As projected by Spotrac, he’s expected to earn a massive pay increase to $177 million this winter. It would net him $29.5 million per year. That figure is a slight dip from his current annual salary, but it’ll eventually provide him with long-term security.

MLB insider opens up about Pete Alonso’s contract situation with the Mets

It’s likely that Pete Alonso will not be in Queens after this season. According to Mike Phillips from SI, a major reason for Alonso’s move could be that the team has to change its core after the 2025 campaign.

After this season, the Mets’ front office will have all the good reasons to consider changes. They’ve had a good five-year stretch of mixed results. Very few of the Mets’ crucial pieces have received a long-term extension under David Stearns. Alonso was somebody who was looking for a multi-year deal, but instead he ended up with a brief two-year and $54 million contract. It included a player option after this season.

That contract was finalized with Steve Cohen’s involvement, and Alonso was perhaps not satisfied without the long-term security he sought. Per Phillips, Alonso is now over 30 and has never been a great defender. Undoubtedly, his power production offers value to the Mets, but their philosophy around his next contract likely won’t change.

That is because players like him usually don’t age well. If you think about it, if his home run numbers take a dip to around 35 rather than staying about 40, his value will ultimately become lower. Phillips had raised all the fair arguments while assessing the Mets’ situation. Now, the ultimate decision will be as much about the team’s broader direction as it is about Alonso himself.