David Stearns Reveals Pete Alonso’s Bold Hall Of Fame Message During Mets Negotiations

David Stearns & Pete Alonso (Photos by Imagn Images)

David Stearns Reveals Pete Alonso’s Bold Hall Of Fame Message During Mets Negotiations

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports
By Paranjoy Goswami | Last updated May 8, 2026 3:09 AM ET

Pete Alonso had long, drawn-out negotiations with the New York Mets when he became a free agent after the 2024 season. President of baseball operations David Stearns was not really keen on bringing him back to the team after his worst statistical year. The relationship with Stearns probably remained frosty as Alonso opted out of his deal at the end of the 2025 campaign.

Prior to the start of the 2025 campaign, Pete Alonso remained unsigned in the free agent market until the start of spring training. Eventually, the five-time All-Star met with David Stearns and team owner Steve Cohen in Tampa before signing a deal. He made an extremely bold statement to the Mets president during the discussion, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post.

“When my career is being evaluated for the Hall of Fame years from now, you’ll still be fiddling with your [flipping] formulas,” Pete Alonso reportedly told Cohen, according to Heyman.

https://t.co/zQOZODxrsz Time to look at what we know of David Stearns’ formulas 1 1/2 years after Pete Alonso told him this: “When my career is being evaluated for the Hall of Fame years from now, you’ll still be fiddling with your [flipping] formulas.”
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 7, 2026

Pete Alonso posted an excellent 2025 campaign, batting .272/.340/.524, with 41 doubles, 38 home runs, 126 RBIs, and a 144 OPS+. After opting out of his deal, he joined the Baltimore Orioles on a five-year, $155 million contract this winter.

Pete Alonso Opens Up On Leadership Role In Orioles Clubhouse

The Baltimore Orioles signed Alonso not only for his contribution on the field but also to provide veteran leadership to their young clubhouse. Pete Alonso recently discussed how his experience as a young player is helping him serve as the elder statesman in the Orioles’ clubhouse.

Pete Alonso (Image Credits: Imagn)

“I was really fortunate. I’ve had a lot of great teammates,” he told Deesha Toshar of FOX Sports. “I feel like those professional life lessons, they kind of helped me through. It’s definitely made a big impact.

“They were showing me, ‘This is what you do in the big leagues. This is how you operate.’ So, for me, I’m paying it forward. I was on the receiving end for a number of years, so now it’s like, it’s my turn.”

Pete Alonso made a solid start to his first season with the Orioles. He currently has a .225/.331/.449 slash line with seven home runs, 20 RBIs, and a 119 OPS+ along with 1.1 bWAR for the season.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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