Insider refutes takes about Mets' David Stearns, Pete Alonso amid free-agency chatter

For a piece updated on Monday afternoon, Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote that the New York Mets "are expected" not to re-sign free-agent first baseman Pete Alonso.

This is in part because Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns "was ready to let Alonso walk last year" before team owner Steve Cohen stepped in. Later in the day, Mets and MLB insider Andy Martino of SNY addressed the complicated relationship involving the club and Alonso.

How David Stearns, Steve Cohen reportedly felt about re-signing Pete Alonso last winter

"My information was always that [Stearns and Cohen] were aligned on wanting the player but fearing the downside of a long commitment," Martino said about the Mets bringing Alonso back last offseason. "They were both happy to have Alonso on the team in 2025 — which, in fairness, he almost certainly would not have been had any other club offered a four- or five-year contract. Alonso re-signed with the Mets on a two-year deal that included an inevitable opt-out after year one."

The perception has existed since last winter that Stearns had little interest in re-signing Alonso before Mets fans made it known at a team event that they wanted the club to hold onto the slugger, who has only played for the Amazins since he made his MLB debut in 2019. More recently, Stearns' comments from earlier this fall about the Mets needing to improve their "run prevention" left many assuming he feels the club needs better defense at first base. 

However, Martino noted that Stearns grew up supporting the Mets and, thus, understands what Alonso means to members of the fan base. The "Polar Bear," who turns 31 years old in December, is the Mets' all-time home run king and a homegrown talent. It's also worth mentioning that replacing the 126 RBI and 38 home runs that Alonso produced this past season may prove to be easier said than done. 

Are Mets still in the Pete Alonso sweepstakes? 

"My hunch is that both Stearns and Cohen would be happy to welcome Alonso back in 2026, albeit with a significant increase in at-bats as a designated hitter. They like the person and the ballplayer," Martino continued. "The complications begin when we talk about the term. It’s hard to imagine an increased willingness to offer Alonso four or five years now that he is 12 months older. But it’s also hard — no, it’s impossible — to predict how Alonso’s second shot at free agency will proceed."

Last offseason, Alonso and big-name agent Scott Boras misjudged the player's market before Alonso accepted a two-year, $54M contract with a player opt-out after the 2025 season to stay with the Mets for another campaign. If Alonso's current free-agency journey mirrors what occurred from last fall through February of this year, he may ultimately determine that he wants to continue playing home games at Citi Field for the foreseeable future.