Slugger  and the New York Mets are in agreement on a two-year, $54 million contract, sources told ESPN on Wednesday, ending a lengthy free agency with a return engagement to the only team for which he has played.

The deal, which is pending a physical, includes an opt-out after the first season, sources said. Alonso will make $30 million this year.

The 30-year-old Alonso, whose 226 home runs since his 2019 debut are second in Major League Baseball behind Aaron Judge’s 232, heads back to Queens to join a lineup that added outfielder on a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract this winter.

While New York considered pivoting away from Alonso after discussions on a deal with him reached an impasse, talks resumed amid a market that did not value Alonso similarly to the long-term deal he sought at the outset of free agency. Right-handed-hitting, right-handed-throwing first basemen in their 30s are seen by teams as risky — even ones who have consistently produced like Alonso.

After hitting a rookie-record 53 home runs in 2019, Alonso’s consistent run-producing helped buoy the Mets through lean years and made him a fan favorite and franchise cornerstone. Alonso rejected a seven-year, $158 million contract extension from the Mets in the summer of 2023, hoping to strike riches on the open market, even when saddled by draft-pick compensation after rejecting a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer from the Mets.

A long-term deal never materialized, leaving Alonso with limited choices. Though the and Toronto Blue Jays were among the teams that expressed interested in Alonso, coming back to the Mets was always the likeliest possibility, even as owner Steve Cohen publicly expressed frustration with the trajectory of negotiations.

Alonso’s production declined over the past three seasons, with his OPS decreasing from .869 to .821 to .788 over that span. His FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement dropped from 3.8 to 2.8 to 2.1, and his 34 home runs in 2024 were a career low for a full season.

Still, Alonso remained capable of special moments. With the Mets facing elimination, trailing 2-0 in the ninth inning of a wild card series game against Milwaukee in early October last year, Alonso tattooed a changeup from Brewers closer  to the opposite field for a three-run home run that held up to send New York to a series against Philadelphia. Alonso homered twice against the Phillies and once more in a six-game NLCS loss to the eventual World Series champion

Alonso’s postseason bona fides — a .278/.429/.574 line in 70 plate appearances — added to his allure for the Mets, who now can lead off star shortstop  and bat Soto, Alonso and emerging star third baseman in the 2-3-4 holes. The Mets’ deep roster includes outfielders and Tyrone Taylor, catcher , second baseman , young infielders , as well as  (who re-signed as a free agent) and  (acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay).

The Mets’ also refashioned their pitching staff, re-signing left-hander  and signing right-handers  for their starting rotation, and bolstering their bullpen with left-hander  and right-hander .