The Polar Bear has migrated south for spring training.
Pete Alonso arrived at the Mets’ complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla. on Monday for the position players report date, with a full-squad workout on tap.
Not long after reporting, Alonso made his way out to one of the fields to chat with a coach.
It once seemed like Alonso would be showing up to another team’s facility for spring training, but the parties managed to come together on a two-year, $54 million pact to keep Alonso in Flushing.
Alonso, 30, will be the highest-paid first baseman in the sport this upcoming season with his $30 million payday.
He has an opt-out clause after this season, which will allow him to enter free agency without the qualifying offer.
Pete Alonso is back with the Mets at Spring Training pic.twitter.com/SIOR2dXe65
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) February 17, 2025
Should he opt-in, he will receive $24 million for the 2026 season.
The Mets are hoping a motivated Alonso will produce big numbers after he hit just .240 with 34 homers and 88 RBIs last year, while adding a .788 OPS.
“What he expressed to us is he wants to win a World Series as a Met,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said recently after extending Alonso. “He knows a big part of our ability to do that is him producing. I think Pete’s had good years the last couple of years, but not as good, not as elite, not at the standard that he set at the front end of his career. And I think he is very motivated to demonstrate that it’s achievable throwing up those kind of numbers.”
Mets owner Steve Cohen had said he didn’t like the offers initially being put forth by Alonso’s camp, but felt the franchise had to retain him.
“I hope Pete is feeling better. I know he’s excited about being part of this team, the team he grew up with,” Cohen told The Post.
“He’s a really good guy. He loves New York, and he loves his teammates. This is a good thing. This needed to happen.”
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Alonso is returning a Mets lineup that now has Juan Soto, and one that Francisco Alvarez believes is the best in baseball.
A return to form by Alonso would go a long way toward reaching those standards, and he could get plenty of pitches to hit if he ends up protecting Soto in the order.
