MIAMI (AP) — Pete Alonso will opt out of his contract with the New York Mets and enter free agency again, the All-Star first baseman said Sunday after the team missed the playoffs.
Alonso tested the open market last offseason before ultimately staying with the franchise that drafted him in 2016 out of Florida. He signed a $54 million, two-year contract in February that paid him $30 million this season with a $24 million player option for next year.
Alonso indicated he'd like to return to the Mets again,
but added he wants to win a championship.
“There’s some great guys in this clubhouse, there’s some great people on the staff,” he said. “And every single day, it’s just been a pleasure coming to work and putting on the orange and blue. I’ve really appreciated and been nothing but full of gratitude every single day. Nothing’s guaranteed, but we’ll see what happens.
"I’ve loved being a Met, so hopefully they’ve appreciated me in the same (way).”
The 30-year-old Alonso earned his fifth All-Star selection this season. He batted a career-best .272 with 38 home runs, 126 RBIs and a career-high 41 doubles.
Along the way, he broke the Mets record for home runs, surpassing Darryl Strawberry's previous mark of 252.
“I think the biggest thing is, I want to win,” Alonso said. “I know we didn’t this year, but we had the right pieces I think, we just didn’t do it. At the beginning of the year, you just want to have the best possible chance to hold up the trophy at the end and see yourself being a champion. So for me, it’s why I do this. I want to be on top of the mountain. I want to win a World Series. That's the ultimate goal.”
The Mets entered Sunday's regular-season finale needing a win and a Cincinnati loss at Milwaukee to make the playoffs.
New York could not overcome a four-run fourth inning by the Marlins, and the Mets were eliminated from the postseason with a 4-0 loss.
___
AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB
