New York Mets superstar first baseman Pete Alonso has finally opted out of his contract option, instead choosing to enter free agency in hopes of a deserved, massive payday. In a perfect world, the Mets are the team to provide Alonso with the deal he desires, but that isn’t a guarantee.

The Mets have a lot of holes they need to fill on their roster, especially the starting rotation and bullpen. If owner Steven Cohen decides to bring back only one of Alonso and closer Edwin Diaz, who also opted out of his contract, it would make more sense to bring back Diaz because he immediately takes out the Mets’ bullpen from being at the bottom of the league.

Last season for New York, Alosno Alonso made his fourth consecutive All-Star team, batting .272 on his way to 38 home runs, 126 RBIs, and an .871 OPS. He led the National League with 42 doubles on the season, bringing his extra-base hit total to 80. It’d be almost an impossible challenge to replace Alonso in such a situation, but it may end up being the reality. In that case, here are some potential replacement options for the Mets to fill their hypothetical Alonso-sized hole at first.

1. Cody Bellinger

Cody Bellinger spent 2025 in the Bronx, again cementing that his back is real and here to stay after two down years to end his Los Angeles Dodgers tenure. He finished with a slash line of .272/.334/.480/ with an OPS of .813 while hitting 49 extra-base hits. Though he played mostly in the outfield, Bellinger has shown his ability to play first in the past, making him a viable option for the Mets. It'd still force the Mets to cough up a big chunk of money, making this reliant on Bellinger's market drying up in free agency.

2. Munetaka Murakami

Munetaka Murakami has been posted and will be available for MLB teams to sign this free agency. He’s a corner infielder for the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. In his final season in Japan, Murakami hit 24 home runs and drove in 52 RBIs in just 69 games. The 25-year-old recorded an eye-catching slash line of .286/.392/.659 with an OPS of 1.051. Murakami’s power could instantly slide into the Mets lineup and make up for that of Alonso.

3. Josh Naylor

First baseman Josh Naylor is entering free agency for the first time in his career after splitting last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. In 147 games between the two teams, Naylor hit 50 extra-base hits and drove in 92 runs with a slash line of .295/.353/.462.

Though none of these three players is Pete Alonso, they serve as adequate replacements if he departs in free agency. If New York chooses to focus on pitching, getting one of these three players on cheaper deals could be the difference between a postseason berth and not in 2026.