The New York Mets will have to sign Pete Alonso to a new deal in free agency if they want to keep him in Queens. He will be a free agent this offseason, and figures to have plenty of suitors.
Alonso clearly did not find the long-term deal he was looking for last offseason, which is why he signed a short-term deal with an opt-out with the Mets. However, after improving his numbers and being named an All-Star for the fourth consecutive year, he should get plenty of lucrative offers.
If the Mets are still unwilling to commit to him long-term, the team will need to explore new options at first base. The internal options are not great, so free agency may be how the Mets try to replace him. MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo listed potential replacements for Alonso and tabbed 25-year-old Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami as an option.
“One is 25-year-old Munetaka Murakami, who produced a 1.051 OPS this year in Nippon Professional Baseball,” DiComo wrote Wednesday. “Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns flew to Japan in August in part to scout Murakami, who hit a walk-off homer while he was present. Murakami will be posted this winter and represents one of the most realistic potential Alonso replacements out there.”
Murakami hit 246 home runs in eight seasons in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. He has a .951 career OPS in NPB and figures to be one of the most sought-after international free agents this winter. Stearns clearly has some interest in him, given his trip to Japan.
Only Kyle Schwarber and Aaron Judge have hit more home runs than Alonso since he made his debut in 2019. He will not be easy to replace, but Murakami could bring real power to New York’s lineup if Alonso leaves.
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