Mets did not make an offer to Pete Alonso before he agreed to Orioles deal: Sources

ORLANDO, Fla. — The New York Mets let Pete Alonso walk without ever making an offer to retain him, league sources told The Athletic on Wednesday shortly after the slugger agreed with the Baltimore Orioles on a five-year, $155 million deal.

The Mets held some interest in bringing Alonso back, but they were uncomfortable going to the lengths and figures that he ended up with, league sources said.

Alonso, the club’s all-time home run leader, is leaving the Mets just one day after star closer Edwin Díaz agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

It is unclear where the Mets go from here. Club officials maintain that plenty of time remains in the offseason. Speculatively, there are big-name free agents still available. The Mets are also active in trade discussions, league sources said, though that doesn’t mean any deal is necessarily imminent.

It is undeniable, though, that the Mets’ roster is undergoing a transformation. Entering this offseason, outfielder Brandon Nimmo, reliever Drew Smith, Alonso and Díaz ranked as four of the five longest tenured players in the organization. They are all gone. The fifth player heading into the offseason was Jeff McNeil, a trade candidate.

Last year, Alonso would’ve played elsewhere if he had landed a better deal than the “bridge” contract — as he later would refer to it — he settled for with the Mets in February. After a long negotiation process, Alonso signed a two-year deal for $54 million that contained an opt-out. Heading into last offseason, Alonso was coming off a down year by his standards; his .788 OPS was the lowest of his career.

Alonso, 31, bounced back offensively in a major way in 2025, hitting 38 home runs with a .871 OPS. He improved a bunch of underlying numbers as well such as his hard-hit rate and chase rate. He aged one year, but became a better offensive player.

But he regressed defensively. Never known as a good overall defender but elite at scooping low throws, Alonso struggled with throwing and his range. Defensive metrics painted him as well below average.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, on multiple occasions, has listed improving the overall defense as a major goal. They made progress in that area in acquiring second baseman Marcus Semien in a trade with the Texas Rangers for Nimmo last month. It would not be surprising to see the Mets further try to improve defensively at first base. At the end of last season, club sources named the right side of the infield as an area to watch in regards to possible defensive upgrades.

Still, it’s extremely difficult to make up for Alonso’s offensive value. Clearly, the Mets also need to address their lineup, which now lacks thump behind Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto.