Pete Alonso will make his return to Citi Area after signing a five-year, $155 million take care of the Baltimore Orioles within the offseason. The previous New York Mets fan-favorite and All-Star first baseman spoke about his free company to the media.
“Truthfully, going by the free-agent course of, Baltimore began the dialogue tremendous, tremendous early,” mentioned Alonso, with video courtesy of SNY Mets. “And actually, I didn’t need to mess up a superb factor as a result of this group confirmed a variety of promise.”
Alonso has continued to place up his typical numbers with the Orioles. He enters this sequence towards the Mets slashing .269/.363/.499 with 35 dwelling runs and an American League-leading 100 RBI.
“Me, I’m so stoked to be an Oriole and be part of this group. I’m joyful, household’s joyful, teammates are unimaginable, employees is unimaginable. We’re very, very lucky to be right here. Additionally, I really feel very lucky to have performed all of the years I’ve with the Mets.”
Recapping Pete Alonso’s Exit from the Mets
The choice to let Pete Alonso develop into a free agent within the first place is a troublesome one for the Mets. They didn’t lock up the five-time All-Star on a long-term extension, then watched him stroll in free company after placing up one in every of his higher seasons on the plate.
The Mets have struggled to switch Alonso. New York has tried Mark Vientos, Jorge Polanco, Jared Younger, and Brett Baty at first base. Of that group, solely Younger appears to have held his personal offensively. Additionally they signed Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million deal that doesn’t look nice in its first yr.
The Orioles took a have a look at Alonso’s comparatively constant monitor file on the plate and determined he was price $155 million. That got here after he turned down a seven-year, $158 million extension provide from the Mets in 2023. Alonso guess on himself and got here out the winner.
Alonso completed his Mets tenure with a .253/.341/.516 slash with a franchise-record 264 dwelling runs in seven years with the membership. Regardless of not being a member of the group, he nonetheless stays a fan favourite. Alonso signed autographs for Mets followers throughout batting apply.
Pete Alonso Takes Goal at Dwelling Run Milestone in Citi Area Return
Pete Alonso enters this sequence towards the Mets with 299 profession dwelling runs. It could be fairly becoming if No. 300 got here towards the group he was initially drafted and developed by.
The Mets even have a participant sitting at 299 dwelling runs, shortstop Francisco Lindor. Alonso spoke about the potential of hitting his three hundredth dwelling run the identical evening as his former teammate.
“Yeah, that might be actually cool,” mentioned Alonso. “Additionally, I do know (Lindor) is chasing the identical milestone. Each of us may do it in the identical recreation and if that occurs, I feel it’d be the primary time ever and hopefully we win the sport. If we have been to do it in the identical day, that may be actually sick.”
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