August 13, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) reacts after his two-run single against the Oakland Athletics in the fifth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Photo Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Sunday could be Pete Alonso’s last game as a member of the New York Mets at Citi Field, it would be the last home game of the regular season against the Philadelphia Phillies, but manager Carlos Mendoza is more than convinced that will not be the case.
“It won’t be his last game here. We plan to play more games here this year,” the captain said. “… We’re not ready to say yet. We expect to play more games here this year.”
The hard-hitting first baseman has rewritten the franchise’s record books — or is well on his way to doing so. In his six years with the club, he was the most prolific power hitter the team has ever seen, posting three seasons with over 40 home runs and hitting a franchise and MLB rookie record of 53 in 2019.
But the 29-year-old’s future in Queens is more than uncertain. He is a free agent after the 2024 season and there has been little to no progress in negotiations, which could be complicated by Alonso’s agent Scott Boras wanting to re-orient the market for first basemen with a $200 million contract.
At this point, it seems highly unlikely that Alonso would get that amount from the Mets or anywhere else in the major leagues. But as Mendoza mentioned, there could still be a lot of baseball played this season.
The Mets have been baseball’s best team since June, breaking a 24-35 record on June 2 and entering Sunday with a two-game lead over the last spot in the National League wild card standings over the Atlanta Braves, their NL East division rival, who they will face three times starting Tuesday in what could ultimately decide their season.
However, Alonso and the Mets will have to overcome significant hurdles to return to Citi Field.
Not only do they have to keep the Braves at bay in Atlanta, but they also likely have to win two games in their final regular-season series in Milwaukee against the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers.
Regardless of whether they finish second or third in the Wild Card standings, they would then have to win a best-of-three road series to advance to the NLDS before baseball would return to Citi Field in the third game of the series.
The only way the Mets could get back to playing baseball in Queens sooner would be to top the Wild Card standings. Going into Sunday’s game, they were three games behind the No. 1 Wild Card seed San Diego Padres with seven regular-season games remaining.
After delivering an impassioned speech at a team meeting last Monday, Alonso has lifted some of the burden of the absence of team MVP Francisco Lindor, who is battling back problems. In his last four games, Alonso has two home runs and seven RBIs.
