Mets Franchise Icon Pete Alonso Abandons Ship for Baltimore in Five-Year Deal Worth $155 Million
The New York Mets have officially lost one of their most beloved players, as superstar first baseman Pete Alonso has left the team to sign a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles. The 30-year-old slugger, affectionately known as "Polar Bear" Pete, had been a fan favorite in Queens for his impressive power-hitting skills and charitable efforts off the field.
Alonso's departure is a significant blow to the Mets, who are still reeling from last year's failed playoff push. The team's owner, Steve Cohen, was reportedly unwilling to meet Alonso's salary demands, leading to a contentious offseason negotiation that ultimately ended with the star player opting for Baltimore.
The Orioles' offer is a notable one, considering the team is well behind the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox in the highly competitive American League East. Meanwhile, Alonso will be playing alongside veterans like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, who both showed promise last season.
Alonso's exit marks the end of an era for the Mets, as he becomes one of the few players to leave the team without being offered a contract extension. The loss is not just felt on the field but also in the community, where Alonso was deeply involved with various charitable initiatives through his foundation.
In a statement, Alonso expressed his gratitude to the Mets organization and fans, saying, "I've appreciated it here... I want to be the best teammate and the best player I can possibly be." However, it appears that desire for greatness led him to Baltimore, where he will undoubtedly be an impact player in the coming seasons.
As Alonso embarks on this new chapter of his career, fans are left wondering what could have been. With no clear replacement for the power-hitting first baseman, the Mets will need to regroup and find a way to compete with their division rivals without one of their most dominant players.
Boras' next Move
Alonso's departure leaves his agent, Scott Boras, with a significant amount of work to do in the market. With several other top free agents still on the board, including Alex Bregman, Zac Gallen, and Tarik Skubal, it's likely that Boras will be busy fielding calls from interested teams.
As for Alonso's future with Baltimore, his agent has said that he is open to exploring an extension with the Orioles. However, any discussion of a potential deal would need to wait until after Skubal hits free agency next year.
The Polar Vortex has indeed landed in Flushing, N.Y., and it remains to be seen how long it will last.
The New York Mets have officially lost one of their most beloved players, as superstar first baseman Pete Alonso has left the team to sign a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles. The 30-year-old slugger, affectionately known as "Polar Bear" Pete, had been a fan favorite in Queens for his impressive power-hitting skills and charitable efforts off the field.
Alonso's departure is a significant blow to the Mets, who are still reeling from last year's failed playoff push. The team's owner, Steve Cohen, was reportedly unwilling to meet Alonso's salary demands, leading to a contentious offseason negotiation that ultimately ended with the star player opting for Baltimore.
The Orioles' offer is a notable one, considering the team is well behind the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox in the highly competitive American League East. Meanwhile, Alonso will be playing alongside veterans like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, who both showed promise last season.
Alonso's exit marks the end of an era for the Mets, as he becomes one of the few players to leave the team without being offered a contract extension. The loss is not just felt on the field but also in the community, where Alonso was deeply involved with various charitable initiatives through his foundation.
In a statement, Alonso expressed his gratitude to the Mets organization and fans, saying, "I've appreciated it here... I want to be the best teammate and the best player I can possibly be." However, it appears that desire for greatness led him to Baltimore, where he will undoubtedly be an impact player in the coming seasons.
As Alonso embarks on this new chapter of his career, fans are left wondering what could have been. With no clear replacement for the power-hitting first baseman, the Mets will need to regroup and find a way to compete with their division rivals without one of their most dominant players.
Boras' next Move
Alonso's departure leaves his agent, Scott Boras, with a significant amount of work to do in the market. With several other top free agents still on the board, including Alex Bregman, Zac Gallen, and Tarik Skubal, it's likely that Boras will be busy fielding calls from interested teams.
As for Alonso's future with Baltimore, his agent has said that he is open to exploring an extension with the Orioles. However, any discussion of a potential deal would need to wait until after Skubal hits free agency next year.
The Polar Vortex has indeed landed in Flushing, N.Y., and it remains to be seen how long it will last.
i remember watching him crush homers at citi field and thinking he was gonna be a mets legend for life now he's gone and i'm left wondering what could've been 
it's like the polar vortex has hit flushing, nyc and it's still chillin' over here 
i feel bad for the mets though, they're gonna struggle to find someone who can fill that void in their lineup 
also can we talk about how baltimore is basically stealing our polar bear? 
i'm not mad at them or anything, i just think it's weird how this all went down... did steve cohen really have a problem with pete's salary demands? 
... like, helloooo, we're still trying to recover from the loss of that one guy 
). Five years and $155 million is crazy talk for anyone, let alone a guy who still has his prime years left. Baltimore got robbed, tbh 
. Can't say I'm shedding any tears for the Mets... yet 
. Guess they'll just have to find some new meat on the bone 
️.
still though it's gonna be weird to see him in orange and black instead of amazin' blue and orange 
is just a huge blow to the Mets! He's like the glue that held our team together and now he's gone? I get that money talks and all but come on Steve Cohen, you can't leave your best player wanting 
. Baltimore might have a good chance of winning with him, but what about us? We're stuck with a depleted roster 
. Scott Boras better bring home some big deals to replace him or else I'm gonna lose it 
just saw that Pete Alonso is donezo with the Mets 
and now he's gonna bring that magic to Baltimore 
gotta admit, the Orioles are making some savvy moves here 
his foundation did so much for the community and now it's like all that effort is being taken away from us 
especially with the way the team handled his contract negotiation... it was a mess and now we're left to pick up the pieces 
i think there are some young players coming up through the ranks who could potentially fill the power-hitting void in our lineup 
but it won't be the same without alonso... he was a true original 
loved watching him crush home runs at citi field. and now he's off to baltimore in a massive 5-year deal 
.
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