'Fastest opt out of all time' – Fans stunned as Pete Alonso confirms free agency ahead of winter

Pete Alonso elected free agency at the end of last season and after a delayed free agency in the offseason, the All-Star infielder re-signed with the team on a two-year $54 million deal.

However, the reunion didn't last long as Alonso has decided to exercise his opt-out clause after the Mets failed to make the postseason, following a 4-0 loss against the Miami Marlins on Sunday.

Fans reacted to the news of Alonso testing free agency for a second time in two seasons.

"Fastest opt out of all time," wrote a fan.

"Can this day get any worse," wrote a Mets fan.

"Should've taken the Jays offer in the offseason. Polar bear up north pretty much sells itself," claimed a fan.

"Bro couldn’t wait 1 day," joked a fan.

"It’s been like 30 minutes bro," wrote another fan.

"Bro had enough 😂😂"

Pete Alonso's contract demands last offseason deterred many teams; however, the All-Star first baseman had a solid year, batting .272 with 38 home runs and 126 RBI. It'll be interesting to see if the former Rookie of the Year can sign the lucrative long-term deal he desired in his last free agency.

Pete Alonso thanked Mets for their support before opting out of current deal

Pete Alonso has been a perennial All-Star in his seven seasons with the Mets, establishing himself as a fan favorite. While he has decided to opt out of his deal with the team, he thanked them for their love and support this season.

"Playing for this organization, this city – they've continued to believe in me," Alonso said. "I love playing here. There are some great guys in this clubhouse, some great people on the staff. Every single day, it's been a pleasure coming to work and putting on the orange and blue."

Alonso's signature won't come cheap, as he earned his fifth All-Star selection this year. However, several teams can utilize his firepower and defense, including rivals like the New York Yankees.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash