3 More New York Mets Who Won't Be Back After Brutal NLCS Loss: Beyond Alonso

With the New York Mets officially eliminated from the postseason, all eyes will be on the team's front office this winter as it navigates what is sure to be a costly stretch of free agency. Keeping Pete Alonso will be easier said than done, considering Alonso's new agent Scott Boras loves to drag out everything to get top dollar for his clients.

The Mets can afford to pay Alonso's price, but they can't wait for Boras to accept a deal late in the offseason while other top names disappear from the table. Sean Manaea, Ryne Stanek and Jesse Winker have all been mentioned as players leaving the roster this winter, but more players will be joining them in free agency. Here are three other Mets who won't be back in 2025.

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Jose Quintana had two good years in a New York Mets uniform. He posted numbers of 3.57 in 2023 and 3.75 in 2024, but his 4.56 FIP this season showed he had some luck along the way. While it was the most innings he's thrown since 2019, the Mets' rotation needs are significant and they won't be interested in bringing back anyone who looks like they're regressing, at least not with all of the other top options outside.

The Mets have a staggering $88,225,000 in expiring contracts and therefore have plenty of financial resources to play on top-dollar contracts. It is unknown how aggressive Steve Cohen will be this time. However, with the team narrowly missing out on a World Series berth, expect those free agent dollars to be used primarily to build a top-notch starting rotation like the Dodgers'.

After the Mets finished the season with a 4.34 ERA, you can bet they will look elsewhere for bullpen help this winter. Although Ottavino's $4.5 million annual contract didn't break the bank, his production in 2024 was a far cry from his ERAs of 2.06 and 3.21 from 2022 and 2023. Admittedly, Ottavino was better in the second half of the year, posting a 3.43 ERA. But the Mets' front office will want to use its money wisely and can ill afford to miss out by not bolstering a bullpen that posted a league-best 4.03 ERA, 17th.

With so many replacements available this offseason, look for the Mets to take a younger approach and bank on future success rather than past success. Ottavino enters his 39-year-old season next year, and while he'll likely sign somewhere, it won't be in the Big Apple, where the Mets will be more focused at the top of free agency.

From 2014 to 2023, JD Martinez posted a .293/.359/.550 average, reached the 30-HR plateau four times and recorded 100 RBIs five times during that stretch. In 2024, after a solid resurgence year with the Dodgers, Martinez hit just .235/.320/.406 with 16 HRs and 69 RBIs with the Mets. If Alonso's return is going to be one of the team's main focuses this year, it will be interesting to see what the team does with their DH position.

Martinez likely didn't do enough this year to earn another one-year deal in New York. So don't be surprised if the front office decides to use those funds elsewhere. The Mets will spend most of their time looking at Alonso and options to fill the holes in the starting rotation in order to do so. At age 37, after a down year, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Martinez is part of the future plan.