The Polar Bear has migrated south for spring training.
Pete Alonso arrived on 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 certainly one of the fields to talk with a coach.
It once gave the look of Alonso can be showing up to a different team’s facility for spring training, however the parties managed to come back together on a two-year, $54 million pact to maintain Alonso in Flushing.
Alonso, 30, shall be the highest-paid first baseman in the game this upcoming season together with his $30 million payday.
He has an opt-out clause after this season, which can allow him to enter free agency without the qualifying offer.
Should he opt in, he’ll 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 12 months while adding a .788 OPS.
“What he expressed to us is he desires to win a World Series as a Met,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said recently after extending Alonso. “He knows a giant a part of our ability to try this is him producing. I believe Pete’s had good years the last couple of years, but not nearly as good, not as elite, not at the usual that he set on the front end of his profession. And I believe he could be very motivated to exhibit that it’s achievable throwing up those type of numbers.”
Mets owner Steve Cohen had said he didn’t just like the offers initially being put forth by Alonso’s camp, but felt the franchise needed to retain him.
“I hope Pete is feeling higher. I do know he’s enthusiastic about being a part of this team, the team he grew up with,” Cohen told The Post.
“He’s a extremely good guy. He loves Latest York, and he loves his teammates. That is a very good thing. This needed to occur.”
Alonso is returning a Mets lineup that now has Juan Soto and one which Francisco Alvarez believes is the perfect in baseball.
A return to form by Alonso would go a great distance toward reaching those standards, and he could get loads of pitches to hit if he finally ends up protecting Soto within the order.
