Pete Alonso plans to opt out of his Mets contract and test free agency after the season finale against the Marlins, ending a year in which he produced 38 homers and a .272/.347/.524 line with 42 extra-base hits. New York’s postseason miss puts the 31-year-old on a high-stakes market, with the Mets weighing 2026 payroll and defensive tweaks around Mark Vientos. Fantasy managers should note the timing and potential landing spots as bargains could emerge late in the winter.

Brett Baty’s oblique injury reshapes the Mets’ late season plan as they chase a playoff spot. With Baty out, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña get more at bats at third and infield, while Mark Vientos must anchor defense and keep power plausible. A youth-led depth push, plus Dylan Ross and Nolan McLean depth in the bullpen, heightens the stakes this weekend against Miami. Imaging will decide the path forward, with Reds and Brewers lurking in the margins.

Mets fall 10-3 to the Cubs in a game defined by early control issues and a brutal fifth inning that buried any comeback hopes. Tong never settled, getting knocked around after a shaky third as New York’s bullpen absorbed a heavy workload. Offensively, Francisco Alvarez and Mark Vientos managed late rallies, but the Cubs pulled away with a multi-run outburst and defensive miscues sealing the blowout.

Defensive miscues and wild pitches framed the Mets’ day, with a key error spurring Chicago’s eighth run and a misplayed ball on the bases helping extend the margin. The result matters for NL Wild Card positioning, but fantasy angles lean toward Cubs’ hitters in the right matchups and Mets arms needed to steady the rotation.

Bottom line: the Mets showed flashes late but couldn’t erase the early deficit, leaving fantasy managers weighing dry streaks against upcoming schedules and bullpen plans as the season winds down.