LOS ANGELES — As Mets gamers filtered out of the clubhouse late Sunday night at Dodger Stadium, boarding a bus again to the workforce lodge, Pete Alonso sat at his locker and added his signature to a bat. At varied intervals, teammates and members of the Mets’ touring get together filed over to supply their condolences, to say goodbye.
In a clubhouse stuffed with impending free brokers, Alonso is by far essentially the most notable. One of many longest-tenured Mets and a part of the franchise’s offensive core, Alonso may very well be elsewhere by February. He understands that — even when, within the aftermath of the Mets’ 10-5 loss to the Dodgers in Nationwide League Championship Sequence Sport 6, he supplied solely a cloudy view of the longer term.
“Actually, I’m simply actually — yeah, I simply, I don’t know,” Alonso stated when requested about his feelings coming into free company. “Proper now, I’m simply sort of shell-shocked that the season’s over, as a result of when you get on this postseason run, you sort of don’t suppose that it’s going to finish.”
Alonso is without doubt one of the most important explanation why the season lasted till Sunday. His go-ahead, three-run homer within the ninth inning of Wild Card Sequence Sport 3 introduced the Mets again from the lifeless, springboarding them into the NL Division Sequence and, ultimately, the NLCS. Alonso stayed sizzling for the remainder of the postseason, homering three extra instances and reaching base a number of instances in every of his ultimate three video games.
But it surely was not sufficient for the Mets to advance to the World Sequence. As a substitute, Alonso’s final act as a Met — for now, a minimum of — shall be a constitution flight again to Queens on Monday morning.
“Actually, I haven’t actually considered something [beyond that],” he stated. “I really like this workforce. I really like this group. This fan base has handled not simply myself, however my household so, so effectively. Proper now, I’m simply considering of the group.
“We’ll see what occurs. We’ll cross that bridge after we get there. However I really like New York. I really like this workforce. I really like taking part in in Queens. This group is admittedly particular, and the reminiscences that we’ve created collectively are simply — wow. Because of this we play baseball.”
Few gamers have been within the group longer than Alonso, the Mets’ second-round Draft choose in 2016. By no means thought of a blue-chip prospect partly due to his defensive limitations, Alonso nonetheless compelled his means onto the 2019 Opening Day roster and have become a star, crushing a Main League rookie-record 53 homers his first season. In a clubhouse starved for management following David Wright’s retirement, Alonso supplied hope. He gained a notable nickname, the “Polar Bear.” Some trumpeted him as a future captain.
5 extra productive seasons adopted, in addition to a pair of Residence Run Derby wins that he considers profession highlights. Over six seasons, Alonso belted 226 homers, which ranks third in franchise historical past behind solely Darryl Strawberry (252) and Wright (242).
The Mets’ choice to hold Alonso on the Opening Day roster in 2019, nevertheless, resulted in him accruing his sixth full yr of Main League service time this summer season — sufficient for him to turn into a free agent. He’ll be considered one of many, alongside J.D. Martinez, Jose Iglesias, Sean Manaea (can decide out of his contract), Luis Severino, Jose Quintana and others.
“As a teammate, it’s going to be powerful, as a result of they made themselves some huge cash … and who is aware of the place they’re going to wind up?” shortstop Francisco Lindor stated when requested particularly about Alonso and Manaea.
Given Alonso’s tenure, no impending Mets free agent has meant as a lot to the franchise. However that doesn’t imply his longtime employer will pursue him aggressively. Alonso reportedly turned down a big nine-figure deal earlier than final yr’s Commerce Deadline, and he’ll enter free company off what was statistically his worst yr as an enormous leaguer. He set full-season profession lows in dwelling runs (34) and OPS (.788). The Mets even have a possible in-house alternative in Mark Vientos, who simply set a franchise mark with 14 postseason RBIs, ought to Alonso signal elsewhere.
These are causes to be pessimistic concerning the thought of him returning. Causes for optimism embrace an October efficiency that won’t quickly be forgotten, in addition to Steve Cohen’s robust relationship with Alonso’s agent, Scott Boras. As just lately as Sunday afternoon, the 2 frolicked speaking on the sphere.
Probably, Cohen and Boras will communicate once more quickly. What comes of these conversations might colour Alonso’s legacy in Flushing.
“Pete has accomplished a lot for this group proper from the get-go,” stated considered one of his longtime teammates, Brandon Nimmo. “He means rather a lot to the fan base and to this workforce. We’d like to see him again right here, but in addition going by means of that course of, I perceive that it’s a enterprise. He’ll find yourself doing what’s finest for him and his household. He’s earned the suitable to get thus far — there’s no query about that. However I feel this October has undoubtedly topped it off.”
