The Mets didn’t force Pete Alonso to turn them down.
They did not make a contract offer to their longtime first baseman before he agreed to a five-year, $155 million contract with the Orioles, The Post’s Joel Sherman reports, as it became clear to them he was getting bids for more dollars and years than they were comfortable with.
Alonso, 31, earned his fourth straight All-Star nod and fifth overall this year, hitting .272 with an .871 OPS, 38 home runs, 41 doubles and 126 RBIs.
And while there are concerns about Alonso’s defense, he has been durable and provided consistent power throughout his career, hitting at least 34 home runs in all of his full-length seasons; he hit 16 homers during the truncated 2020 season.
Pete Alonso Robert Sabo for NY Post
There are no opt-outs or deferrals in Alonso’s contract with the Orioles, according to Sherman.
There was a stronger market for Alonso this year than last offseason, when he was coming off a down 2024 in which he hit .240.
He ended up returning to the Mets on a two-year, $54 million contract, which featured $30 million for 2025 and an opt-out, which he exercised after a bounce-back season.
Alonso’s departure comes a day after closer Edwin Diaz left for the Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million contract; the Mets offered three years, $66 million, but indicated there was wiggle room, Sherman reported.
It also leaves plenty of questions as the Mets now have a major void in their lineup, particularly from the right side.