The New York Mets want to keep Pete Alonso in Queens. Justin Tasch of the New York Post reports that president of baseball operations David Stearns made that clear during his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday. Stearns sent a reassuring message to fans still reeling from the team’s National League Championship Series exit just three days before. As the star first baseman approaches free agency, Stearns’ commitment signals a priority to retain the slugger’s formidable presence in the Mets lineup.
“Pete’s a great Met. He was right out there right before I came [to the press conference room.] I told him I was about to answer a lot of questions about him. He told me good luck,” Stearns said of the impending free agent.
“He’s a great Met. I hope we have him back. I think we both understand this is a process and everyone’s got their own interests. Pete deserves to go out into the free-agent market and see what’s put there and then ultimately make the best choice for him and his family.”
David Stearns Reiterates Commitment to Pete Alonso
Alonso, 29, is poised to enter free agency on the heels of a relatively disappointing season, having set full-season career lows in home runs (34) and OPS (.788). This comes after reportedly turning down a lucrative nine-figure extension offer before last year’s trade deadline. Despite the down year, Alonso’s value remains significant, but the Mets have an emerging in-house option in Mark Vientos. Vientos made a strong postseason impression with a franchise-record 14 RBI, positioning himself as a potential replacement if Alonso were to sign elsewhere.
“Honestly, I haven’t really thought of anything,” Alonso said to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “I love this team. I love this organization. This fan base has treated not just myself, but my family so, so well. Right now, I’m just thinking of the group.
“We’ll see what happens. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. But I love New York. I love this team and I love playing in Queens. This group is really special, and the memories that we’ve created together are just — wow. This is why we play baseball.”
He was one of the heroes of the Mets’ surprising run to the NLCS, hitting a game-winning three-run home run in the ninth inning of Game 3 against the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card Series. It was one of the greatest home runs in franchise history, as he went on a streak during the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies, reminding everyone how important he can be in the middle of the lineup. Alonso wrapped up the postseason with four home runs, 10 RBI, 12 walks and a .273 average in 13 games.
If Alonso does come back, he’s 27 home runs from setting the franchise record for career home runs. There’s plenty of value in that, too. However, the impending departures of Jose Quintana, Sean Manaea and Luis Severino mean that New York will need to rebuild their rotation nearly from scratch this offseason.
Main Photo: © Brad Penner-Imagn Images
