Ron Darling points out Mets’ glaring Juan Soto issue

Life without Pete Alonso has become a reality for the New York Mets.

ESPN's Jeff Passan first announced on Wednesday that Alonso has agreed to a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles. The O's have yet to confirm the signing.

It has been a challenging offseason for Mets fans to wrap their heads around, as three members of their core are now gone. The shakeup began with the longest-tenured player, Brandon Nimmo, getting traded to the Texas Rangers on November 23 for second baseman Marcus Semien. And then, in what can be considered one of the worst 24-hour spans in franchise history, the Amazins' saw their All-Star closer Edwin Díaz ink a three-year, $69 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, followed by Alonso agreeing with that aforementioned five-year contract with Baltimore yesterday.

The Mets are now left scrambling to figure out where to go from here, especially after seeing their all-time home run leader taking his talents to the AL East. Regardless of what they do to address it, a former Met offered this bleak reality about New York's lineup amid Alonso's exit.

Former Mets pitcher and current SNY color commentator Ron Darling spoke on MLB Network at the Winter Meetings on Wednesday in Orlando. He gave a blunt assessment about Juan Soto's role in the Mets' lineup with Alonso gone.

"You've now paid, unless you get a bat, Juan Soto to walk 150 times a year, that's what you've done," Darling said. "One of their young players [Mark] Vientos or someone else that's going to have to step up, maybe they get into the Kyle Tucker race now for a legit bat in the outfield, but these last two days have to be really hard on Mets fans."