David Stearns was officially introduced as the Mets president of baseball operations on Monday, and he addressed the future of Pete Alonso, who is a free agent after next season.
With Alonso being named in trade rumors over the summer, including with the Brewers, Stearns’ former team, many wondered if Stearns wanted a new first baseman rather than paying Alonso a long-term contract.
The contract is still unclear, but Stearns suggested that Alonso will not be traded this winter.
“Pete is a great player,” Stearns said. “He is also good in the clubhouse, and he is also homegrown. All of that matters. I know, over the summer, there was some trade speculation. I’ll just say, I expect Pete to be the Opening Day first baseman next year. Pete is an important member of this team, he’s an important member of this organization, and I think we are very fortunate to have him.”
As for the manager spot, Stearns gave his respect to Buck Showalter, who revealed he would not be back as manager in 2024, while Stearns noted that there is no timetable to make a decision on a new manager.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Buck,” Stearns said. “What he has accomplished globally, throughout his career, and specifically what he’s done in this town. Up until yesterday, I was under contract with another team, so I wasn’t allowed to talk to Buck. I reached out to him this morning, and am hopeful we will be able to connect. I'm very appreciative of what he's meant to this organization. I think, unquestionably, the organization is in a better spot for him having been here.
“There's no one [replacement] I have in mind. We are going to cast a wide net.”