The baseball gods usually have a sense of humor when it comes to the New York Mets, but the entirety of Monday night was a self-inflicted coincidence and comedically poor timing, which yet again leaves us coming away simply saying, “That’s so Mets.”
It felt hilariously fitting that on the night in which Pete Alonso — the man supposed to be a Mets lifer and the first offensive homegrown product to spend an entire, healthy career in Queens — returned to Citi Field for the first time as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, his old team presented its Player Development Awards.
Alonso won the club’s Minor League Player of the Year honor in 2018 after his breakout season across Double-and-Triple-A. The next year, he broke an MLB record for most home runs hit in a season by a rookie with 53, which was also a single-season Mets franchise record.
Across his seven seasons, the man nicknamed “Polar Bear” played every day and mashed round-trippers. His 264 homers are a franchise record, and his go-ahead shot in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers two years ago is not only one of the biggest home runs in franchise history, but the moment that Alonso labeled as his favorite during his Mets career.
“I blinked and seven years went by,” Alonso said. “It really felt so quick. I’m just really grateful for the years, the experiences, the people. It was really cool.”
Mitch Voit, the 21-year-old infielder presented with this year’s Minor League Player of the Year Award, could only dream of having the kind of career that Alonso is putting together. He would also probably hope that the organization is far more loyal than how president of baseball operations David Stearns handled Alonso’s exit.
The legitimate anger amongst the fan base that Stearns did not extend a contract offer to the slugging first baseman over the winter is still abundantly fresh more than nine months later, and those supporting the Mets were not shy in letting the team know where their allegiances lay in this scenario.
Alonso was cheered at every turn on Monday night: When he hopped from the Orioles dugout during batting practice, when he reemerged for pre-game warmups. Then came the standing ovations after a video tribute moments before first pitch and each of his four plate appearances.
“It speaks to the love they have for him,” interim manager Andy Green said. “A lot of years here, a lot of good memories for a lot of good people… I think that was a show of love and support for somebody who gave a lot to this team.”
His name was chanted throughout the night, and he was all too willing to don his cap whenever the moment arose. Shortly after he flew out to right field following his first at-bat, Mets fans chanted “Fire Stearns.”
They nearly blew the roof off the place when he just missed a home run, pulling a 3-1 offering from Jonah Tong foul down the left-field line. They then booed Tong when he walked him one pitch later.
“A lot of love, but well-deserved,” Mets star shortstop Francisco Lindor added. “I thought he got every ounce of love that he could’ve gotten tonight… But it gets to a point where it’s like, ‘Alright, chill, show Jonah Tong a little love.’”
If it felt like Mets fans were rooting against their team, because they probably were.
“I kind of see it and take it as they appreciated what I brought to the field because I take pride in just giving everything I have every single night, and I take it as they’re just showing their appreciation for the years of effort and performance,” Alonso said. “I appreciate them in that way for their support.”
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This was never supposed to happen.
Alonso was going to spend his entire career in Queens, break every major offensive record, lead the Mets over the hump after their run to the NLCS in 2024, and wear the interlocking “NY” on his cap in Cooperstown.
Which logical executive would say no to that? Alonso averaged 37 home runs and 101 RBI in his seven years with the Mets — production that no other player in team history has come close to consistently churning out.
But Stearns worried about Alonso’s decline in years three, four, and five of a potential longer-term deal, which is usually a necessary byproduct of securing a slugger. Think the Anaheim Angels locking up a 31-year-old Albert Pujols for 10 years, $254 million, or the Detroit Tigers locking up Miguel Cabrera at the age of 33 with an eight-year extension.
The thing is, the deal Alonso was looking for and ultimately got from the Orioles — five years, $155 million — runs until he is 36, not 41. Plus, there is no evidence of any sort of breakdown anytime soon. He has played in every game this season and has 35 home runs and 100 RBI.
“I respect [the Mets’] decision, and for me, the guys running the team, it’s their prerogative to do whatever they think is best. So for me, I respect it professionally,” Alonso said. “For me, I’m honestly so stoked to be an Oriole and be a part of this organization. I’m happy, family’s happy, teammates are incredible, staff is incredible. I feel very, very fortunate to be here, and also, I feel fortunate to have played all the years I have with the Mets.”
Instead, Stearns thought that converting the injury-prone career middle infielder, Jorge Polanco, to first would be an efficient enough replacement.
It wasn’t. Polanco appeared in just 37 games, batted .148 with a .431 OPS, and was done by August after needing ankle surgery. That left the Mets to trot out former third-base prospect-turned-utility-man Brett Baty at first base on Monday night.
He and Jared Young, the man who has gotten the lion’s share of the first-base reps this season, combined to go 0-for-6. The Mets mustered just one run on six hits, just one coming after the fourth inning in a 2-1 loss that officially eliminated them from postseason contention.
That lineup sure could’ve used a bat like Alonso’s this season.
“You could see the numbers,” Lindor said. “But at the end of the day, I thought the guys that we acquired were gonna help us win games. We just haven’t played; we haven’t performed to our best. It’s one of those that you see him on the other side, and you’re like, ‘Wow, those are great numbers. That’s Pete Alonso.’ But at the same time, you look in our clubhouse, you see that the guys are capable of helping us win ballgames. It’s just we haven’t stayed healthy, and we haven’t put the season together.
“As a person, I do miss him.”
For more on Pete Alonso and the Mets, visit AMNY.com
