August was a historic month in terms of offensive production for the New York Mets, the complete opposite of July when they had the worst slump of the season. The bats have responded at the ideal time, but it seems that not all of the sluggers could remain in Queens for 2026. According to a report by SNY, the Mets’ 177 runs scored and 52 home runs in August were franchise records.
The team also had a collective average of .285 and an OPS of .866. The bad news is that Carlos Mendoza’s team finished the month with a record of 11-17, which clearly shows that the pitching staff is responsible for the team’s recent losses. As far as the positives go, much of the offense’s success is due to Pete Alonso’s swing, as he has hit .286 with an OPS of .887, nine home runs and 29 RBIs in his last 30 games.
The reasons why Pete Alonso could leave New York
While this is extremely impressive, it’s nothing new for Alonso’s 2025 season, as he’s been seeing the ball very well and producing in the middle of the Mets’ lineup all year long. The Mets have benefited from Alonso’s season, but the bill will come due once the season is over. That’s because the Polar Bear’s success will force him to opt out of the second year and $24 million of the two-year contract he signed last offseason and try his luck in free agency for the second consecutive winter.
Steve Cohen, owner of the New York Mets, invested a large sum of money. Therefore, an MLB expert claims that the club will make a natural adjustment with Pete Alonso and both parties will be interested in free agency where many other clubs would be interested. USA Today MLB expert Bob Nightengale cited one specific team that makes a lot of sense for Alonso: the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds’ situation to take Pete Alonso
The Reds are a very well-organized team, but they lack “that spark” to get them into playoff contention. They are in urgent need of a powerful hitter in the middle of the lineup and would be the natural candidates to sign free agent first baseman Pete Alonso if he leaves the Mets. The Cincinnati ballclub is currently well behind the Mets in the National League wild-card race with a 69-68 record.
Despite not having had much success in recent years, Cincinnati has done a good job of developing local prospects, including star shortstop Elly De La Cruz. However, their pitching staff is clearly their strong point at the moment, and Cruz’s 19 home runs and 77 RBIs are the most any Reds player has accumulated so far this year. Therefore, adding an elite hitter like Alonso (who has 31 long balls and 110 RBIs heading into September) would be a great addition.
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