What Can Fans Expect from the Polar Bear in 2026?
The Mets’ 2025 season ended unexpectedly short. The team’s unsuccessful bid for a playoff position drew questions from fans. What happened to the team that had the best record in baseball? By June 2nd, the Mets were 45–24, and it looked like there was nowhere to go but up. However, with sudden injuries to the starting rotation and a subsequently stretched-out bullpen, an uncertain and exhausted roster resulted in a significant collapse. Through it all, the team had a constant source of power in their hitter, Pete Alonso.
Pete Alonso as a Met
Pete Alonso has been a pillar of the Mets since 2019, but his New York ties date even further back. Homegrown, Alonso was a 2016 draft pick who came up through the farm system. As a rookie, Alonso hit 53 home runs, earned NL Rookie of the Year honors, and became a face of the Mets franchise. It was Pete Alonso who coined the phrase “LFGM,” “Let’s F**ing Go Mets,” showing his passion for the team spirit and his confidence in their success. As a Met, Alonso has always been full of belief in the team’s ability to win. He himself exhibits the talent of a slugger and a crafty first baseman.
Pete Alonso’s Future
In 2025, Alonso was a constant performer for the New York Mets. Playing in all 162 games, he drove in 126 RBIs, hit 38 home runs, and launched his 253rd career homer, breaking a franchise record. Alonso also represented the Mets alongside Francisco Lindor, Edwin Díaz, and David Peterson at the 2025 All-Star Game. Even as the team began to falter, Alonso played his part and delivered moments of greatness. Still, it wasn’t enough to bring the Mets to the postseason.
Now, as questions swirl around Mets management and the core roster, everyone wants to know one thing. What will happen to Pete Alonso in 2026? Having signed only a one-year contract that included free-agent eligibility, Alonso has already opted out of the final year and the $24 million remaining on his deal. That means Alonso has the opportunity to move teams. Fans are hoping he’ll stay, but many worry he’ll decide to go.
What we know is this: the decision to opt out was financially strategic and gives him leverage for a greater monetary payoff. Given that Alonso welcomed his first child last month, it makes sense that he would want greater financial security. This news might also offer Mets fans a bit of hope. If Alonso’s family is based in New York and they have a newborn, would he really be willing to leave? All fans know for now is that news likely won’t come for a while, and clarity may not arrive until as late as preseason. Still, Alonso has proven himself as a face of the Mets. He would stay if it offered the best opportunity, but we won’t know until then.
