
The Mets saw first baseman Pete Alonso walk in free agency as the five-time All-Star agreed to sign with the Orioles on a five-year, $155 million deal on Wednesday. This is the second key player the Mets have lost this week, after closer Edwin Díaz joined the Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million deal. Earlier this offseason, the Mets also traded longtime outfielder Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien.
Both Nimmo and Alonso were homegrown players that had spent their entire careers with the Mets prior to this offseason. Not only did the Mets let Alonso walk, but they did not even issue a formal offer to him once they saw that the years and dollars from other teams’ bids went beyond their “comfort zone.” This notably comes a year after they signed Juan Soto to a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal.