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Pete Alonso has taken his game offensively to “another level.”
That assessment was provided Friday by Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, who was asked about the possibility he would engage in contract extension talks with Alonso’s camp during the season.
Alonso, after a stalemate in negotiations that lasted deep into last offseason, returned to the Mets on a two-year contract worth $54 million that includes an opt out after this season.
Alonso’s .982 OPS as play began Friday ranked fifth in MLB, behind Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Cal Raleigh and Freddie Freeman.
“I am not going to touch any sort of contract talk discussion,” Stearns said before the Mets faced the Rays at Citi Field.
“But he’s having a tremendous year, and he’s been an enormous offensive component of our team. I think our lineup now as a whole is functioning at a real high level and as we envisioned. Pete has been right in the middle of it all since Day 1. He’s really taken his offensive game to another level, and it’s been fun to see.”
Alonso began play with 20 RBIs in June, and a 1.288 OPS.
Jose Siri had a setback in his rehab from a fractured left tibia, according to Stearns, and has been shut down from baseball activities.
Stearns said recent imaging determined the bone in Siri’s leg wasn’t healing in the manner the team had hoped.
Siri will be shut down for “a couple of weeks” and receive further imaging to determine if he can restart his progression.
Siri was injured after fouling a ball off his shin April 12.
Jesse Winker is still “multiple weeks away” from a minor league rehab assignment, according to Stearns.
The veteran outfielder has been sidelined with an oblique strain since May 5.
Brooks Raley could begin a minor league rehab assignment within the next week, according to Stearns.
The left-handed reliever, who is returning from Tommy John surgery, will likely need the entire month of his rehab assignment before he is ready, which would place his potential return shortly after the All-Star break.
The Mets re-signed Raley in April to a one-year contract that holds a club option for 2026.
On Friday the 13th, the Mets began play as the only MLB team with four players who had at least 13 homers (Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto).
It marked the first time in franchise history the Mets had four players with as many homers through 70 games.
