The offseason hasn’t exactly gotten off to a hot start for the New York Mets. While the team signed Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million contract early in free agency, they watched both Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso find new homes this week. Of that duo, it’s clear that Alonso’s departure stings the most.
Alonso was a homegrown star for the Mets, as he spent the first seven seasons of his career with the team. During that time, he turned himself into one of the top power hitters in the game, which helped him land a five-year, $155 million contract from the Baltimore Orioles. After deciding to leave New York, Alonso penned a heartfelt message to the fans of his longtime team.
Pete Alonso Says Goodbye to Mets Fans After Signing with Orioles
Alonso burst onto the scene with New York as a rookie back in 2019, when he immediately established himself as one of the top sluggers in the league. In 161 games, Alonso hit .260 with a league-leading 53 home runs and 120 RBIs, which helped him earn an All-Star selection, while also winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
Over the next six seasons, Alonso earned four All-Star selections, while also winning his first Silver Slugger Award in 2025. Contract issues bubbled to the surface for Alonso last offseason, and while he eventually signed a one-year deal with the Mets to stick around for one more season last year, it seemed unlikely that he would return to New York this time around.
Sure enough, Baltimore came in and blew everyone out of the water when it came to the league’s pursuit of Alonso. With the signing being made official recently, Alonso took a second to send a heartfelt message to the Mets and their fanbase, thanking them for their support of him during his first seven seasons in the majors.
“New York, thank you. These last few years have shaped me in ways I’ll carry for the rest of my life,” Alonso said as part of his message on Instagram. “This city demands your best and I’m proud to look back knowing I gave everything I had into earning the privilege of wearing that jersey … Your energy fueled me more than you’ll ever know. You believed in me, and you made me better.”
Mets Have Huge Hole to Fill After Pete Alonso’s Departure
GettyPete Alonso of the New York Mets
Beyond his contribution on the field, Alonso had become the heart and soul of the Mets’ locker room through good and bad. Replacing him is going to be a nearly impossible task, which is why it was such a surprise to see New York just let him leave in free agency. The price was high, but finding someone who can come in and fill Alonso’s shoes is going to be a tall task.
The good news, if there is any, is that the offseason is still young, meaning there’s time for the Mets to create a plan and execute it when it comes to filling the void left by Alonso’s departure. New York is a team that expects to contend for World Series titles moving forward, and its ability to do that will likely be determined by how the team responds to losing its longtime first baseman.
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