The New York Mets failed to reach October in Juan Soto’s first-ever season as a Met. After their magical “Grimace” run in 2024, they snatched Soto from their crosstown rival, the Yankees. And as the regular season ends, NYM still has some big decisions hanging over their star first baseman, who was almost gone last season. Now, they might get a reality check.

As the market for Pete Alonso was cooler than expected, he returned to the Mets after an “exhausting” negotiation. He signed a “bet on himself” two-year, $54 million contract that included a special clause that allows him to opt out and become a free agent after the first year. And that paid off in a huge way as the first baseman played all 162 games with a slashline of .272/.347/.524 and .871 OPS (highest since his rookie season). Plus, he smashed 38 dingers and a league-leading 41 doubles while driving in 126 runs. And he passed Darryl Strawberry and became the all-time home run king of the franchise, also in this season.

But all that wasn’t enough to keep the Queens in the playoff race. And now, on MLB Network, the crew suggested the Yankees should sign the Mets’ slugger.

The show host, Greg Amsinger, first threw the idea. “He [Alonso] has to [leave]. I mean, listen, 36 home runs, I believe 36, over 120 RBIs, he played 162 games. Back-to-back years of 162 games. If the Mets don’t value him… he had 38 home runs… every other team out there that is needing slug, it’s gonna be a different free agent experience.” Considering the contract negotiation experience he faced last year, after years of production, truly backs Amsinger’s point.

Then, analyst Dan Plesac continued.

“The Yankees lost Soto to the Mets. And look at first base for the Yankees, Pete Alonso would look good in a Yankee uniform playing first base, hitting 35 and knocking in over 100 runs.” The Yankees were desperate for a player like Alonso at first base for years. Remember 2024?

The position was an offensive “black hole,” and the main player, Anthony Rizzo, struggled badly all season. This season, the scene changed a little bit after the Pinstripes signed veteran Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year, $12.5 million contract. But still, Goldschmidt’s production is nowhere near what Alonso can do.

Now, according to Spotrac, Alonso’s market value is around six years and $176 million, plus Goldschmidt’s one-year contract is expiring after this season. And as a permanent solution will certainly be available in the winter, which clears the position and the budget for the Yankees, GM Brian Cashman should definitely take the final step.

And what about the Mets?

After this breakthrough season and a lack of replacement, there is a high chance that the Mets will increase his salary and keep him for the next one. The main internal option, Mark Vientos, has raw power but has been very inconsistent. Vientos’ .233 average with a .702 OPS is below league average. Plus, the free-agent market for first basemen is shallow beyond Alonso.

But when we consider last offseason’s negotiation and David Stearns’s history of not paying huge contracts to first basemen, it’s easy to understand that everything isn’t as smooth between the star and the organization. So, there’s a chance that the Mets will try to pursue a free-agent third baseman like Alex Bregman to replace the production and move Vientos to the first.

And for the Yankees, the biggest challenge is the luxury tax.

As of now, their payroll is so high (in between $273 million and $284 million) that they can face a 110% luxury tax penalty if they exceed the “Cohen Tax” that sits currently at $301 million. This means that a $29 million yearly salary for Alonso would actually cost the team over $60 million in cash per year. That’s nothing but huge!

Plus, the Yankees have a relatively inexpensive, in-house alternative in Ben Rice, who had a strong rookie season in 2025, hitting 26 home runs with an .836 OPS. Though he isn’t a proven superstar like Alonso, money matters!

What do you think? Will the Yankees break the bank for the Polar Bear, or is the price of revenge simply too high?