An MLB insider has shed light on how serious or not the Mets were about keeping Pete Alonso before he signed with the Orioles.
New York has reshaped its roster heavily this offseason, with the infield seeing the most turnover. Francisco Lindor is the lone holdover, while Jorge Polanco, Marcus Semien, and Bo Bichette now fill out the group. Among those who departed, Jeff McNeil and Alonso stand out most.
Even though Alonso ultimately landed in Baltimore, it turns out the Mets didn’t make much of an effort to retain their longtime slugger. Will Sammon of The Athletic reports that the team never actually presented Alonso the franchise’s all-time home run leader with a contract offer.
Unlike their negotiations with Edwin Díaz, talks with Alonso never truly materialized. The Mets had some level of interest in a reunion, but it came with major limitations. They reportedly didn’t meet with him during the Winter Meetings, envisioned him more as a designated hitter than an everyday first baseman, and were only comfortable with a short-term deal.
Baltimore, on the other hand, committed five years. New York’s comfort zone appears to have been closer to three years, similar to the structure of Bichette’s three-year, $126 million contract with opt-outs. After already playing on a one-year deal in 2025, Alonso was looking for longer-term security something the Mets weren’t willing to provide.
Because of that gap in years and role, the Mets were never in position to make a truly competitive offer. Alonso’s move to the Orioles happened without a real push from New York, signaling the front office, led by David Stearns and Steve Cohen, had already moved on from bringing back their former cornerstone.
It marks a quiet and somewhat disappointing close to Alonso’s Mets tenure, with the organization now banking on its new additions to deliver stronger results in 2026 and beyond.
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