Pete Alonso gives the Mets a top lineup in MLB

After being two wins short of a World Series appearance, the New York Mets signed Juan Soto and AJ Minter. David Stearns and Steve Cohen re-signed key pieces from the 2024 squad, such as Jesse Winker, Sean Manaea, and Ryne Stanek. Now, after having a staring contest all offseason, the Mets have re-signed fan favorite Pete Alonso on a two-year contract.

Now, the four-time All-Star has a legitimate chance to become the all-time home run leader in Queens. Alonso is 27 homers from surpassing Darryl Strawberry. If Alonso signed elsewhere, he wouldn't be regarded as the player he was on the Mets. The fans love him. Since he entered the league in 2019, he's recorded the most home runs in the National League while leading MLB in runs batted in.

The Mets have one of the best lineups in MLB heading into 2025

New York is looking to get right back where they were in 2024. The story all offseason was Alonso, even though they already signed a top-five hitter in Soto. Without the Polar Bear, many didn't even have the Mets as the best team in their division. With the slugging first baseman back, the Mets have one of the best lineups in baseball.

Alonso had a subpar season in 2024. Now he will be in the same lineup as Soto. Assuming he hits cleanup, Francisco Lindor, Soto, and Mark Vientos will be hitting in front of him, with Brandon Nimmo hitting behind. Alonso has a ton of protection now. In three out of his five full seasons, he's hit over 40 home runs and racked up over 115 runs batted in.

Not only do the Mets have a loaded front five in the lineup, but they also have guys at the bottom of the order with a ton of upside. Francisco Alvarez was the number-one prospect in baseball just a few years ago. The 23-year-old catcher hit 25 home runs in his rookie season. Jesse Winker and Starling Marte will likely platoon at DH. Marte hit over .300 against left-handed pitching last season, and Winker was a prominent piece for them in the 2024 postseason. Jeff McNeil, the former batting champion, is coming off a phenomenal second half. Across his last 55 games, McNeil posted a .272 batting average with a .845 OPS.

With the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and Philadelphia Phillies having loaded lineups, the Mets needed to bring back Alonso. They arguably have the second best lineup in the National League, maybe even MLB.

Their odds to win their division skyrocket with the two-time Home Run Derby champion. New York's bullpen is one of the best in the league on paper. Adding Minter to join Edwin Diaz, Jose Butto, and Reed Garrett gives them an intriguing bullpen. The starting rotation will have a healthy Kodai Senga, and a full season of David Peterson, who posted a 2.90 ERA last season. Manaea will be a prominent piece as well. Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes are question marks, but we saw Luis Severino turn his career around with the team in 2024.

With Alonso now signed, the Mets fanbase can take a deep breath. Stearns and Cohen put together a magnificent offseason. Getting past the Dodgers will be tough to do, along with winning the division over the Phillies and the Braves. However, with the star-studded lineup they have now, they undoubtedly can contend for a World Series in 2025.