Pete Alonso free agency: Slugger has ‘gut feeling’ that final homestand won’t be his last with the Mets

The New York Mets are in the midst of their final homestand of the regular season, a stretch that ends Sunday and gives way to a six-game road trip with stops in Atlanta and Milwaukee. It’s possible, depending on how the National League wild-card race progresses, that these are the final home games that first baseman and impending free agent Pete Alonso plays as a member of the Mets organization.

Alonso told the New York Post that he has an “intuition” that won’t happen. When asked if that’s because he thinks the Mets will make it to the postseason (and win another home game), or if it’s because he thinks he’ll be able to agree on a new deal with the franchise, he answered “both,” while clarifying that his team has not participated in secretive extension talks.

“I love it here. It’s a really special place,” Alonso told the Post.

Alonso, 29, has played only for the Mets franchise since being drafted by New York in 2016. In parts of six big league seasons, he has hit .250/.340/.518 (135 OPS+) with 225 home runs and 20.1 Wins Above Replacement.

It’s unclear how much money Alonso will demand on his next contract. He reportedly turned down an extension offer in 2023 that would have paid him $158 million over seven years — a reasonable decision, considering Paul Goldschmidt previously signed a five-year deal worth $130 million. While MLB front offices are typically skeptical about handing out big contracts to aging right-handed first basemen, it seems reasonable to think Alonso should get something on par with Goldschmidt’s deal, plus inflation.

The Mets will finish their series against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. They head into the game with an 83-68 record that ties them with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second wild-card slot and gives both teams a two-game lead over the Atlanta Braves. The Mets are 2 1/2 games behind the San Diego Padres — New York will need to get ahead of the Padres to host their Wild Card Series game.

The Mets and Braves will play a three-game set starting next Tuesday. The winner of that series will claim the season series, as well as take advantage in case of a tie. First, however, the Mets have to worry about a four-game series against the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies. At the same time, the Braves will face the Miami Marlins.