Alonso to Opt Out After Mets' Collapse

The New York Mets were eliminated on the final day after a 4-0 loss to the Miami Marlins, finishing 83-79 and losing the final NL wild-card to the Cincinnati Reds on a head-to-head tiebreaker, capping a collapse from a 45-24 start to a 38-55 finish. Pete Alonso announced he will opt out of his two-year, $54 million deal and test free agency after driving in 126 runs with 38 homers and a .272 average this season; he is expected to draw heavy interest from teams including the Tigers, Rangers and Yankees. The club’s big-spending offseason — highlighted by Juan Soto’s 15-year, $765 million contract and the league’s highest payroll — failed to prevent late-inning meltdowns, starter Kodai Senga’s post-injury struggles and cumulative injuries that thinned the rotation. General manager David Stearns and owner Steve Cohen face a long offseason of fixes after high-profile additions did not deliver a playoff berth. Players, manager Carlos Mendoza and staff voiced frustration after the historic collapse as the franchise missed the postseason seven of the last nine years.