NEW YORK — First baseman Pete Alonso and the New York Mets finalized his $54 million, two-year contract Wednesday, when spring training opened with the team’s first formal workout for pitchers and catchers in Florida.
Alonso and the Mets agreed to financial terms last week, subject to a successful physical. The four-time MLB All-Star — as a rookie in 2019 and in the past three seasons — gets a $10 million signing bonus and salaries of $20 million this year and $24 million in 2026. He can opt out after the 2025 season to become a free agent again.
“We’re excited to welcome Pete back to Queens,” Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a news release. “He is a homegrown talent who is adored by our fanbase.”
Alonso, who turned 30 on Dec. 7, lingered on the open market longer than many other top players. Among other first basemen who were free agents, Christian Walker agreed to a $60 million, three-year contract with the Houston Astros, and Paul Goldschmidt (New York Yankees) and Carlos Santana (Cleveland Guardians) accepted one-year agreements.
Alonso has spent his entire professional baseball career with the Mets organization and ranks third in franchise history with 226 home runs, trailing David Wright (242) and Darryl Strawberry (252). Alonso leads the majors with 586 RBIs since his debut in 2019, and only Yankees star Aaron Judge has more home runs (232) in that span.
Alonso, nicknamed the Polar Bear, is the lone player in Mets history with five seasons of at least 30 home runs. Last year, he was one of just four players in the majors to play in all 162 of their respective team’s regular-season games.
“Pete is a great Met and one of the league’s elite power threats,” said David Stearns, the president of baseball operations for the team. “I’m thrilled that we reached an agreement, and I’m looking forward to watching Pete help anchor our lineup.”
Alonso would get a $200,000 bonus for winning the National League MVP award, $150,000 for finishing second and $50,000 for third. He would get $150,000 for being World Series MVP, $100,000 for being NL Championship Series MVP and $100,000 each for a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger award, making the NL All-Star team or earning a spot on the All-MLB team.
Alonso batted .240 with 34 homers andd 88 RBIs but a career-worst .788 on-base plus slugging percentage last season. He struck out 172 times but played in every game, helping the Mets earn a wild-card playoff berth and reach the NLCS. His three-run, ninth-inning homer off closer Devin Williams lifted the sixth-seeded Mets over the third-seeded Milwaukee Brewers in the decisive third game of their matchup in the opening round of the postseason.
Alonso was NL rookie of the year in 2019, when he hit .260 and his 53 homers led the majors and set a rookie record, also driving in 120 runs that season. He had a career-best 131 RBIs in 2022.
New York also re-signed injured reliever Drew Smith to a one-year deal with a club option for 2026. Smith, 31, is expected to miss all or most of the upcoming season while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, but the right-hander should be ready for 2026.
Smith was 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA and two saves in 19 appearances last year before undergoing elbow surgery in July. He has spent his entire MLB career with the Mets, going 12-13 with a 3.48 ERA and five saves in six seasons.
Smith and right-hander Christian Scott were placed on the 60-day injured list Wednesday. Scott, 25, also is recovering from Tommy John surgery and is not expected back until 2026.