Pete Alonso's long-term future with the Mets is uncertain, but his immediate future isn't.
Alonso will still be in a Mets uniform on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park along with the rest of his teammates, a reality that seemed extremely remote at the start of the ninth inning on Thursday.
Brewers closer Devin Williams was brought in to preserve a 2-0 lead and slam the door on the Mets, but he left it open a crack when he walked Francisco Lindor to start the ninth, and he opened it some more when Brandon Nimmo singled with one out. That brought Alonso to the plate as the go-ahead run, and Alonso delivered the death blow to Milwaukee's championship hopes.
Here's a look at Alonso's go-ahead home run and why this could be one of his last acts with the Mets.
MORE: Potential landing spots for Pete Alonso in free agency
Pete Alonso home run video
Alonso was 1-8 with three walks in the series when he stepped to the plate in the ninth inning on Thursday, and he could have entered free agency on a sour note with the wrong outcome.
Still, a late-season slump didn't erase the fact he's third in Mets history in home runs. Alonso's power is real, and he flashed it against Williams.
PETE ALONSO!!!!!!!!!!!!! #POSTSEASON pic.twitter.com/LzgpxTWUzN
— MLB (@MLB) October 4, 2024
Alonso seemed to know it was gone off the bat, but it wasn't a no-doubter. Once it cleared the wall, though, Alonso's confidence was validated. He pumped his fist into the air and celebrated in front of a silenced American Family Field crowd with the Mets in front.
Citi Field's Game 3 watch party erupted after the home run, with Alonso rewarding the fans who stuck out eight innings of zero production from the Mets' lineup.
After the win, Alonso debuted the Mets' "playoff pumpkin" from a Wisconsin pumpkin patch.
"I'm just so happy to come through for the team," Alonso told reporters, calling the moment "something you practice in the backyard as a kid."
This is the playoff pumpkin. Pete Alonso picked it himself this week at a Wisconsin pumpkin patch. It's now another good-luck charm for the Mets. pic.twitter.com/l7ewDnvu6w
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) October 4, 2024
No Mets game is over until it's over — Francisco Lindor proved that on Monday when New York clinched a postseason berth, and Alonso reinforced it on Thursday night in Milwaukee. The Phillies are one of the championship favorites this October, but sometimes there is no substitute for confidence — and the Mets have plenty right now.
MORE: Mets' 'OMG' rallying cry, explained
Pete Alonso contract
Alonso is in the final year of his rookie contract, so he will be a free agent after the World Series ends. He will first be eligible to sign with a new team five days after the end of the World Series, though free agency typically drags into December and often even later for the top available players.
Many have speculated that this could be Alonso's last season with the Mets. He turned down an extension offer from the franchise before the season and seems intent on testing the market. New York, meanwhile, plans to bid heavily for Juan Soto.
That doesn't mean Alonso won't return, but the Mets haven't been willing to come very close to his demands yet, and plenty of teams could use a power-hitting bat like his.
Whether or not Alonso is in a Mets uniform in 2025, he took matters into his own hands and guaranteed himself at least three more games and at least one more at Citi Field. If he has his way, that won't be all.
