Pete Alonso‘s departure from the Mets performed out in gradual movement.
For greater than two years, uncertainty surrounding Alonso’s future hung over the fan-favorite first baseman and the franchise.
There was an extension provide in 2023, Alonso’s first foray into free company in 2024, his return to the open market this offseason, and loads of hand-wringing in between.
However the drawn-out saga lastly reached its conclusion Wednesday as Alonso agreed to a five-year, $155 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, securing the kind of long-term deal he had sought from the Mets.
It’s too early to inform whether or not president of baseball operations David Stearns was sensible to not decide to Alonso into his mid-30s. However within the quick, the slugger’s exit leaves a gaping gap within the coronary heart of the Mets’ lineup and within the hearts of Mets followers.
Right here’s how Alonso and the Mets obtained so far:
EXTENSION OFFER
In the course of the summer season of 2023, the Mets provided Alonso a contract extension value $158 million over seven years, or about $22.5 million yearly.
On the time, the Mets had been run by common supervisor Billy Eppler, whereas Alonso was a couple of 12 months and half away from free company.
Alonso, who would end with 46 house runs and 118 RBI that season, turned the provide down in search of a bigger payday.
TRADE RUMORS
That very same summer season, The Athletic reported the Milwaukee Brewers had mentioned an Alonso commerce with the Mets earlier than the 2023 deadline, with an nameless supply saying the Brewers obtained inside “field-goal range” of constructing one occur.
The Mets traded Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, amongst different veterans, earlier than that deadline, however an Alonso deal by no means transpired.
“I love representing this organization,” Alonso advised reporters on the time. “Being a Met is the only thing I know. … I don’t know what the future holds but right now I’m a Met and I love being a Met.”
SCOTT BORAS and DAVID STEARNS
Boras, essentially the most distinguished agent in baseball, is thought for commanding high greenback for his purchasers, who additionally embody Juan Soto, Scherzer, Gerrit Cole and Cody Bellinger.
The Mets, in the meantime, employed Stearns round that very same time, which might show to be a equally consequential issue within the contract negotiations.
2024 SEASON
Alonso delivered a down season in his stroll 12 months, not less than by his lofty requirements.
He batted .240 with 34 house runs, 88 RBI and a career-low .788 OPS in 2024, and by the top of the season, Mets followers appeared resigned to the likelihood that Alonso’s time in Queens was nearing its finish.
Within the Mets’ regular-season house finale that September, a sellout crowd at Citi Area showered Alonso with a standing ovation.
2024 POSTSEASON
However Alonso and the Mets weren’t carried out but.
After clinching a playoff spot throughout a season-ending street journey, the Mets discovered themselves getting ready to elimination in a winner-take-all Sport 3 of their Wild Card sequence in Milwaukee.
Trailing 2-0 within the ninth inning, Alonso struck a go-ahead three-run house run in opposition to now-Mets nearer Devin Williams in one of many greatest moments in franchise historical past.
The Mets would go on to win that recreation, and the NLDS, earlier than being eradicated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in Sport 6 of the NLCS.
2024-25 OFFSEASON
Now a postseason hero, Alonso entered free company with a bit extra leverage, but the market proved naked for the Polar Bear.
Analytically pushed groups have grow to be increasingly adversarial to signing righty-swinging first baseman over 30 to long-term contracts, as that participant profile historically doesn’t age properly.
Amongst them had been the Mets, who had been stated to be reluctant to transcend a three-year deal for Alonso as he entered his age 30 season.
The talks took a dramatic flip in January on the Mets’ Amazin’ Day occasion at Citi Area, the place proprietor Steve Cohen described the “exhausting” nature of the Alonso negotiations amid chants of “We Want Pete” from followers in attendance.
“As we continue to bring in players, the reality is it becomes harder to fit Pete into what is a very expensive group of players that we already have,” Cohen stated on the time. “That’s where we are, and I’m being brutally honest. I don’t like the negotiations. I don’t like what’s been presented to us.”
Cohen continued, “If it stays this way, I think we’re going to have to get used to the fact that we may have to go forward with the existing players that we have.”
ALONSO RE-SIGNS
In the long run, Cohen discovered a option to retain Alonso in 2025.
Cohen and Stearns met with Alonso and Boras in Tampa, the place the primary baseman is from.
“It was my idea,” Cohen later stated of that assembly on the Mets’ “Meet at the Apple” podcast. “I just felt that the negotiation had gone on so long, I just wanted to make sure that he heard from us how we felt about him.”
Regardless of curiosity from the Toronto Blue Jays, Alonso agreed to a two-year, $54 million contract with the Mets that included an opt-out after the primary season.
2025 SEASON
Alonso delivered a resurgent 12 months in 2025, beginning with a house run in his first at-bat of the house opener.
In August, Alonso hit the 253rd homer of his profession, breaking a tie with Darryl Strawberry for the Mets’ franchise document.
“I have a goal to play baseball until I’m through my age 40 season, and for me, I’m gonna work hard and do that,” Alonso stated after that milestone. “Business side, Steve and David, they’ve got to come through.”
Alonso completed the season with a .272 common, 38 house runs, 126 RBI and an .871 OPS, bettering throughout the board from his 2024 marketing campaign.
However Alonso made a number of defensive miscues over the course of the 12 months, notably when it got here to throwing the ball.
2025-26 OFFSEASON
Regardless of his bounce-back marketing campaign, Alonso’s match with the Mets got here into query once more when Stearns held his end-of-season press convention.
Whereas Stearns stated he “would love” to have Alonso again, he additionally cited the necessity to enhance the Mets’ run prevention, which incorporates protection.
“We’re going to have to be open-minded on our position-player grouping so that we can improve our run prevention,” Stearns stated. “Does that mean there are robust changes? I don’t know. Does it mean people will be playing different positions? Maybe. Does it mean we ask people to play different roles? Maybe.”
SIGNS WITH O’S
As anticipated, Alonso opted out of his contract and returned to free company.
It proved to be a extra fruitful marketplace for Alonso, as his new $31 million annual wage with Baltimore is the most important ever for a primary baseman.
Alonso, 31, is now set to anchor a loaded O’s lineup that additionally options Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday and fellow offseason addition Taylor Ward.
The work-in-progress Mets, in the meantime, are going to look a lot completely different in 2026. Alonso is the most recent franchise staple to depart this offseason, following Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Diaz.
