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Pete Alonso running

The New York Mets didn’t want to reach a long-term deal with Pete Alonso during the offseason.

New York did what they had to do to re-sign him, and while it was the right decision, that might come back to haunt them. Alonso has swung the bat at an excellent level to start the year, currently hitting .349 with seven home runs.

Currently playing on a one-year, $30 million deal with a player option in 2026, many believe that he will opt out of his deal.

That includes Jon Heyman of the New York Post, who added that Alonso might be better off than when he was given a 7-year, 158 million offer by the Mets a few years ago.

“Pete Alonso, $30 million this year, $24 million next year, he’s gonna opt out,” Heyman said . “I mean, as long as he’s upright — I wouldn’t even say as long as he’s healthy — as long as he’s upright and able to play next year, he’ll be opting out.”

“I think Alonso, a lot of people were on him for not doing that 7-year, $158 million deal that was offered a couple of years ago… but he’s going to end up doing better than that. He’s off to a big start.”

To say that the Mets wouldn’t be able to keep him in town after this year would be unfair. If Alonso continues to swing the bat at the level he has, everybody knows that the Mets will try everything they can to keep him around. Money always speaks, and they have it.

However, if they lose him, they’ll have to find a new first baseman, and that seems increasingly more likely, given the current situation.

Who Could the Mets Sign?

The New York Mets have a few options to consider, including Josh Naylor of the Arizona Diamondbacks .

Naylor hits free agency next winter, and Thomas Yorke of Rising Apple considers him a potential replacement for the Mets’ slugger.

“Josh Naylor is a first baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is presently in his last season of arbitration eligibility, making him a free agent in 2026. He had spent most of his career with Cleveland before being traded to Arizona this year. His position is first base, with the occasional start as a designated hitter. While he might considered as only an average fielder, he’s the type of player who gets paid for his bat, not for his glove…

“Naylor has shown improvement every season and most scouts who have followed his career consider him to be a budding superstar. No one can ever be sure just how potential will develop into production, but as Josh Naylor enters into free agency in 2026, his ceiling is unlimited. And at a mere 29 years of age, he can go as far as his talent will take him. Could it be for the NY Mets? We’ll have to wait and see,” he wrote .

Would Naylor Be Good Enough?

Naylor isn’t in the same caliber as Alonso, but he’s been very good throughout his career and is enjoying early success with the Diamondbacks, hitting .318 with four home runs.

After a .308 performance during the 2023 campaign for the Cleveland Guardians , the 27-year-old would be a nice addition for the New York Mets if Alonso walks.

Jon Conahan covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. Since 2019, his sports coverage has appeared at Sports Illustrated, oddschecker, ClutchPoints and Sportskeeda. More about Jon Conahan