The New York Mets have not yet reaped the benefits of their offseason roster revamp. In a Mets lineup that struggles to put runs on the scoreboard, Pete Alonso’s absence is glaring. During a recent conversation at WFAN Sports Radio, Darryl Strawberry revealed that the homegrown star’s departure deeply affected him.
“I was really crushed that he didn’t,” recalled Strawberry. “Because I like Pete, and spent a lot of time talking about the fact how can you win here. I was really trying to encourage him about the fact that he just gotta believe in each other, and not let everybody else inside of you.”
Former major leaguer Strawberry debuted with the Mets in 1983 and spent seven of his 17 MLB seasons. The illustrious pitcher is a four-time World Series winner and an eight-time All-Star. After his retirement, Strawberry has made multiple appearances as a guest instructor for the Mets and has known Mets stars like Alonso.
So, when Alonso left New York for Baltimore, signing with the Orioles on a 5-year, $155 million deal, Strawberry was crushed.
“When you have the kind of numbers he was putting up, he was gonna be the franchise of all the numbers, not just breaking my home run record with RBIs and this or that,” observed Starwberry. “But it’s a different business today, more than anything. I kind of wish he had stayed here because it’s a great place, and your legacy here is really strong.”
From his rookie season in 2019 to 2025, Alonso batted .253 with an .857 OPS. He broke Strawberry’s record to become the Mets’ all-time leader in terms of home runs (264).
With Alonso already securing a place in the Mets’ history, Strawberry wished that the 31-year-old remained in Queens. Even before, Strawberry had expressed disappointment at Alonso’s departure.
In February 2026, he remarked, “You just don’t leave New York to go to Baltimore. Don’t get me wrong, but this is New York. Baltimore is a good place, but it’s not New York.”
With the Mets being the second-worst in run production this season (161), the team is definitely missing Alonso. Moreover, the Mets did not even make any attempt to re-sign Alonso in the offseason.
However, this season, Alonso has recorded a slow start, hitting .216 with 8 home runs for the Orioles. The Mets replaced him with first baseman Jorge Polanco. After hitting .179 this season, Polanco is currently on the injured list with Achilles bursitis.
And as the 2026 season progresses, even John Heyman recalled the fallout David Stearns had with Alonso.
Stearns-Alonso fall out
With the Mets’ struggling this season, MLB insider John Heyman spoke about the fallout Pete Alonso had with David Stearns in 2024.
During a meeting in Tampa, Alonso reportedly confronted Stearns and owner Steve Cohen.
“When my career is being evaluated for the Hall of Fame years from now, you’ll still be fiddling with your [flipping] formulas,” Alonso told Stearns, per Heyman.
Alonso’s remarks revealed the disconnect between the players and Stearns’ analytical approach to team building. Yet, this season, the Mets hold an 18-25 record, one of the worst in the league.
Alonso had reportedly confronted Stearns and Cohen to let them know his displeasure about the negotiations that year. The Mets signed him on a two-year, $54 million deal in February 2025. After the 2025 season, Alonso opted out and entered free agency, ultimately becoming a Baltimore Oriole.
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