Pete Alonso’s return reminds fans, Mets lowballed themselves

Slugging first baseman Pete Alonso made his long-anticipated return to Citi Field on Monday night when his Baltimore Orioles visited the New York Mets. The same New York Mets with whom Alonso spent his entire professional career before signing with Baltimore in free agency back in December.

Alonso was 0 for 3 with a walk in the Orioles’ 2-1 victory. He has hit .268 with 35 home runs, 100 RBI and a 141 wRC+. His 4.1 WAR is his highest since he posted a 4.7 as a rookie.

The Mets, meanwhile, have started seven different men at first base in 2026 after letting Pete Alonso walk. Suddenly, with the team sitting last in the NL East, Monday night’s “Fire [David] Stearns” chants make a ton of sense:

It sullied what was yet another bad night in a lost Mets season. Jonah Tong pitched six innings of one run ball, actually had control of the strike zone, and the story was more about how the Mets should have re-signed Pete Alonso. The same Alonso who, as we just mentioned, was 0 for 3 with a walk.

But it’s too hard to ignore the truth. The Mets should have re-signed Pete Alonso. He has already exceeded his walk total from last season. He’s just about kept pace with his numbers from 2025.

The biggest twist of all: Alonso isn’t as much of a net negative with the glove since joining Baltimore. Granted, he’s still a net negative with a -3 fielding run value (FRF). But his defensive runs saved (DRS) have improved to -1 from -9 in 2025. That’s doubly impressive, Alonso improving his fielding in his age-31 season and on a team in baseball’s most powerful division.

The fans are not chanting for David Stearns’ firing without reason either. This isn’t just some case of fan sour grapes, Alonso gone to a different team because the Mets were not the highest bidder. Hell, that would probably be preferred! It might have stung less if Alonso signed with the Red Sox for the heat of the rivalry with the Yankees, or with the Dodgers and a truckload of deferred millions.

But no. Pete Alonso instead signed with the Baltimore Orioles, and not for an ungodly amount of time or money. His contract with Baltimore is worth $155 million over five years. That doesn’t mean $33.5 million a year is chump change, but for a player who is a near-lock for 30 or more home runs each season? And whose bad defense is just bad enough to keep running him out at first base every day?

Read my lips. The New York Mets did not low ball Pete Alonso. The New York Mets lowballed themselves, and from the get-go. That Alonso signed with Baltimore during the Winter Meetings screams that the Mets entered the room knowing they had priced themselves out.

There isn’t any meaningful help on the way, either. Prospect Ryan Clifford, who plays both first base and the outfield, only hit .178 with 17 home runs at Triple-A Syracuse this season. The free agency market has nothing but platoon bats and aging journeymen.

And yet, owner Steve Cohen insists Stearns has his support. Even after the Mets failed to even make Alonso an offer. Quite the lowball indeed to basically tell your team’s best player, “Thanks for the memories” and sending him off with little more than a handshake.

But hey, it’s okay. Not that bad at all. Juan Soto, right?