2 teams are considered favorites if Pete Alonso leaves the New York Mets

The New York Mets could lose their franchise cornerstone first baseman in the offseason.

Star slugger Pete Alonso is set to become a free agent this winter, and there’s no guarantee he’ll come back to Queens.

If the Mets don’t keep Alonso, an MLB insider has linked two clubs as top landing spots for the 29-year-old.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports, rival executives expect Alonso to sign with the Seattle Mariners or Chicago Cubs if he leaves the Mets.

“If All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso doesn’t return to the Mets, rival executives expect he will end up in Seattle or with the Cubs,” Nightengale wrote.

Alonso has had a bad year by his standards, entering Sunday’s game with a slash line of .241/.330/.464 and an OPS of .794, along with 34 home runs and 88 RBIs in 159 games. The righty swingman’s career slugging percentage (.516) and OPS (.855) are well above the numbers he posted in 2024, which could cost him free agency.

However, Alonso has hit the second-most home runs (226) in baseball since entering the league in 2019. Only New York Yankees MVP frontrunner Aaron Judge has hit more long balls in that span (232).

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Alonso turned down a seven-year, $158 million contract extension from the Mets through the 2023 season. According to Nightengale, the first baseman is seeking a contract worth at least $200 million, while MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post recently reported that a rival predicted Alonso would receive a $185 million contract.

Alonso certainly fits in with Seattle and Chicago, who could use more star power in their lineups. Should the Mets let Alonso go, the Big Bopper should get big money elsewhere, and rivals seem to think he will end up with either the Mariners or Cubs if he does leave.