Pete Alonso wants to remain a member of the New York Mets for the foreseeable future — that’s something he’s continuously transmitted throughout the last year — but that’s all he can control.
“I definitely have envisioned myself being a lifelong Met, that’s something I’ve definitely thought about,” Alonso said on Saturday in Port St. Lucie (h/t SNY). “I love New York, it’s a special place… I’ve definitely thought about the idea, I welcome the idea, but I can’t predict the future.”
The 29-year-old slugger arrived at Spring Training ahead of his final season under team control, meaning free agency looms at the end of the 2024 campaign.
With his agent, Scott Boras, he and the Mets made little to no known progress on extension talks since David Stearns took over as president of baseball operations.
Stearns said that Alonso hitting free agency next winter is “the mostly likely outcome,” rather than the two sides working out a deal before the start of the season or during it.
The new head of the Mets’ front office did quell trade rumors upon his arrival in October, stating that he expected Alonso to be the starting first baseman on Opening Day. He’s maintained that stance since then, but if New York’s season goes south like it did last year, the likelihood of his name cropping up in trade rumors always increases.
While it was the previous regime, the Mets did shop Alonso ahead of the trade deadline last season with teams including the Milwaukee Brewers — Stearns’ former club.
“That’s a lot to think about,” Alonso said before cracking a laugh. “I just had my first live [batting practice] session. So I don’t know.”
