McNeil hopes Alonso stays long term: 'I know he wants to be a Met'

New York Mets utility player Jeff McNeil is hoping 2024 won't be the last season he calls Pete Alonso a teammate.

Alonso is scheduled to hit free agency at the conclusion of the season and has yet to find any traction with the Mets regarding a long-term contract extension.

But, despite the uncertainty, McNeil is confident Alonso wants to remain with the franchise for the foreseeable future.

"I know he wants to be a Met," McNeil told Foul Territory. "We all want him to be a Met as well. I know he loves New York, so hopefully we can keep him long term. I don't want to see him play anywhere else. I want to see him be my teammate for a long time."

Alonso and the Mets avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract reportedly worth $20 million for this season.

The 29-year-old has developed into one of baseball's premier sluggers during five seasons with the Mets. He leads all hitters with 192 home runs since 2019 and has made three All-Star Games with the team while twice winning the Home Run Derby.