Pete Alonso is returning to free agency, as the Mets first baseman told the New York Post’s Mike Puma and other reporters that he won’t be exercising his player option for the 2026 season.  Alonso will instead leave his $24MM salary on the table and head to the open market in search of a longer and more lucrative deal.

The announcement came just minutes after the Mets’ season-ending 4-0 loss to the Marlins, which officially eliminated New York from postseason contention and put a coda on the club’s devastating second-half swoon.  In that case, Alonso’s statement just adds to the sting of a dismal day for Mets fans, yet there wasn’t much point in Alonso waiting a few more weeks to make what seemed like an obvious decision.  Even dating back to when Alonso signed his two-year, $54MM deal last February, there was little doubt that he would be re-entering free agency again this winter.

More to come….