Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Mets Officially Re-Sign Pete Alonso, Who Cohen Says Is "Adored by fanbase"

 

Pete Alonso at bat in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Phillies. Photo by Jason Schott.


The long Pete Alonso saga officially ended on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at 4:21 p.m. when the team sent out the press release that the first baseman is officially signed.

Mets Owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement, "We're excited to welcome Pete back to Queens. He is a homegrown talent who is adored by our fanbase. It should be a fun summer at Citi Field watching Pete contribute to a great lineup and chase the franchise home run record."

Alonso was drafted by the Mets in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Florida. He debuted in Flushing in 2019 and is on pace to be one of the greatest players in franchise history. He ranks third in franchise history in home runs with 226, behind only David Wright, who hit 242 in his entire career as a Met, and Darryl Strawberry, who bashed a team-record 252.

An All-Star four times in his career, Alonso earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2019, a season in which he bashed 53 home runs, the first of three times he would hit at least 40 in a season. He has hit at least 30 homers in five of his six seasons, with the only exception being the shortened 2020 one, in which he hit 16 in 57.

Since Alonso's debut in 2019, only Aaron Judge of the Yankees has hit more home runs over the past six seasons, 232 to his 226.

In the regular season in 2024, Alonso hit .240, with 34 home runs 88 RBI, and a career-high 34 doubles, and was only one of four players in the Major Leagues to play in all 162 games, and only the second Met in team history to do it, joining Felix Milan in 1975.

Alonso added to his legacy when he hit one of the most consequential home runs in their history - and a bigger one than his crosstown slugging rival has even hit - when he bashed the game-winning three-run home run that gave the Mets the lead in the decisive Game 3 of the National League Wild Card round in Milwaukee. The Mets went on to beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the N.L. Division Series, and took the Los Angeles Dodgers to six games in the League Championship Series.

In 13 postseason games, Alonso hit four home runs, with 10 RBI, with a franchise-record 12 walks and a .999 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage).

Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns said in the press release, "Pete is a great Met and one of the league's elite power threats. I'm thrilled that we reached an agreement, and I'm looking forward to watching Pete help anchor our lineup."

That lineup now includes one of the best pure hitters in baseball, Juan Soto, so now the Mets are set to finish the job after coming within two wins of the World Series next season.


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