1 hour ago
2
Pete Alonso continues to beam about Baltimore, less than two weeks after signing with the Orioles.
After calling his new team “the perfect fit” at his introductory press conference, the slugger reiterated Monday on “Foul Territory” that he has “no regrets” about his decision.
The Mets’ all-time home run leader also revealed it became clear his time in Queens was ending once it was apparent the club wasn’t going to make an offer.
“It was pretty much when it came down to the true negotiating point,” Alonso said. “It’s like, alright, it’s just not gonna happen. For me, I gave everything I had — and I always do — and I don’t take it personal because at the end of the day, it’s their philosophy, it’s their business decision.”
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns told Alonso’s camp during the GM Meetings in November that the team remained interested in a reunion — but Alonso said that’s also when the Orioles began showing serious interest.
While Stearns maintained the sides would stay engaged, Baltimore ramped up its pursuit during the Winter Meetings in Orlando, agreeing to a five-year, $155 million deal.
The Mets ultimately never made an offer to the five–time All-Sar.
“I’m in a place where they see me in their future and in their present,” Alonso added. “So I’m stoked to be there, and I can’t wait to win ballgames for the Baltimore Orioles.”
Alonso’s departure, of course, was far from the only major Mets subtraction this offseason.
New York traded longtime outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for infielder Marcus Semien and watched superstar closer Edwin Díaz bolt for the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers.
The team also dealt former batting champion Jeff McNeil to the Athletics on Monday.
Those losses left major holes on the roster. The Mets responded by adding former Yankees closers Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, along with veteran infielder Jorge Polanco, who is expected to see time at first base.
Alonso said he didn’t want to go “down the rabbit hole,” but acknowledged that if not for the team’s 2025 collapse — which ended with missing the playoffs after losing to the Marlins on the final day of the regular season — things may have unfolded differently.
“That’s kind of a philosophical thing where it’s like, hey, that’s just what they wanted to do,” Alonso said. “But if you think about 2025, it came down to one game. It came down to one game.
“There were a ton of guys hurt. If they weren’t, that would’ve put us in a better situation. You can’t control injuries — we had a lot of arms that weren’t healthy. That planked us, but it was a one-game, not-in-the-playoffs situation.”
As the Mets maneuver the rest of the offseason, the departures have yielded passionate reactions across the league, including “Foul Territory” host and his former teammate, Todd Frazier.
The former Mets third baseman, who bestowed the “Polar Bear” nickname on Alonso, eviscerated the organization for not retaining its core of All-Stars.
During Monday’s appearance, “The Toddfather” asked Alonso point-blank if the Mets’ free agency approach rubbed him the wrong way.
“Let me ask you this,” Frazier began. “Forget about the fans, I felt like the Mets didn’t get that much involved with you. Home run king. The fans loved you — that had to hurt a little bit, right?
Alonso, who has already begun acclimating to his new team, once again sidestepped taking any direct shots at his former team and instead focused on his next chapter.
“Todd, to be honest, buddy, for me, it’s okay because I know I gave everything I had every single day,” Alonso said. “I’m appreciative of it, but at the end of the day, I’m happy that it’s not just where I’m going to be playing but also where my family is going to be.
“I feel like I’m in the right place,” he added. “We as a family are in the right place. The Orioles treated us excellent the whole way… it’s not that the Mets didn’t, I’m just blessed, and I feel like we’re in the right spot. How could I be salty over that?”
English (US)