Pete Alonso is slated to become one of the most coveted free agents after the 2024 MLB season, but one New York Mets great offered a cautionary tale to keep him from leaving.
Mets: Darryl Strawberry Does Not Want Pete Alonso Left With a “Belly Full of Regrets” Should He Walk in Free Agency
Per Fan Nation’s Pete Ragazzo, Darryl Strawberry reflected on the dichotomy between him and the Mets’ front office at the time of his departure in 1990 and how he hopes Alonso can avoid some of the pitfalls that left him regretful, saying:
“I just hope that he reaches a point and they reach a point as an organization where they come together and keep him there.”
Strawberry had the city of New York in a frenzy at the peak of his career as a two-time Silver Slugger award winner with the Mets. Though external factors played a role in Strawberry’s precipitous drop-off once he left the team, imploring Alonso to stay with the franchise speaks to the advantages Alonso may relinquish in more ways than one.
Alonso avoided arbitration by signing a one-year, $20.5 million deal on Jan. 11.
Though the deal serves as pacification for the time being, the expectation is that Alonso, who owns four of the highest single-season home run totals in MLB history, will garner a much more lucrative salary next winter.
Will the Mets’ Front Office Do Everything in Their Power to Prevent Alonso From Leaving?
Trade rumors this past Autumn and Mets president David Stearns’ ho-hum comments concerning Alonso’s future prospects may compel the three-time All-Star to jump ship.
He has 46 home runs, 118 RBI, and 21 doubles to his name in 2023, though his .217/.508/.516 slash line took a hit. Teams know what Alonso can bring to the table regardless.
Encouragingly for Steve Cohen and the front office, Alonso has come out on more than one occasion expressing his desire to retire a Met. Perhaps he won’t have a reason to look back with disdain once the pen and paper are slid in his direction in 2025.