Pete Alonso is a Met, signing back with the only team he has ever known as a pro after months of tense negotiating raised a lot of questions over whether or not the homegrown slugger would be back in Queens in 2025.
Evan Roberts, who has been an advocate for re-signing Alonso all offseason, says Thursday should be a day of celebration for Mets fans, even those who didn’t want the first baseman back on a long-term deal, as New York in 2025 just got better, and it didn’t take a long-term commitment to get it done.
“You have to be excited,” Evan said. “If you’re not, then I think something might be wrong with you. Because this is best for business.
“It was so obvious that Pete Alonso was better off being a New York Met, and the Mets are better off with Pete Alonso...if you had any hesitation about if this was the right move or not, I want you to put your body back to the way you felt in early October on that Thursday night in Milwaukee when the Mets season was about to end.”
The Mets needed more offense, specifically protection behind Juan Soto, and they got it with one of the most reliable home run hitters in the game since making his debut in 2019. Even in a down year, Alonso hit 34 home runs in the regular season before that massive homer against the Brewers in the winner-take-all game in the Wild Card Series.
That is production the Mets needed, and it could wind up being only a one-year commitment, which should be universally seen as a win-win for the organization.
“You’re not sure if he can handle the pressure or playing on a one-year deal? It’s a no-brainer,” Evan said. “It’s not a seven-year contract or a five-year contract...we’re talking about this season, and for this season, that guy - the one who saved the Mets’ asses - is walking through that door.
“This is a celebratory day...in terms of what this means for the franchise this season, this is a no-brainer.”