New York Mets remain silent on Pete Alonso and focus on strengthening their pitching during winter meetings in Orlando, Florida
ORLANDO, Florida — The New York Mets they have no plans of meet up con Pete Alonso this week during winter meetings.
The first baseman who turned 31 on Sunday became a free agent for the second consecutive season and lives about two hours from the hotel where the meetings are held in Florida.
“I think Pete knows us very well. I think we know Pete very well,” David Stearns, the Mets’ president of operations, said Monday, adding that Alonso will “take advantage of his time here to maybe meet with organizations he doesn’t know as well.”
Alonso was drafted by New York and spent his first seven seasons with the Mets. After a slow free agent market last winter, he signed a two-year, $54 million contract.
The slugger opted out of the final year of the deal after hitting a career-high .272 with 38 home runs, 126 RBIs and an .871 OPS in 162 games.
Stearns maintained his position of not negotiating publicly when pressed about the situation with Alonso, but clarified where he believes the player fits in the market.
“Pete has shown that he is one of the best offensive players and has performed at a high level for us,” Stearns said. “That would be a priority for any team. It certainly is for us.”
Beyond Alonso, Stearns indicated that the team is prioritizing run prevention.
The improvements in the bullpen are not over, even after the Mets’ deal with Devin Williams. Stearns said they are considering both free agency and the trade market for help. They also want to add a starting pitcher, although Stearns is confident the organization’s young pitchers could play a significant role. Kodai Senga’s strong progress in the offseason was a big positive for Stearns.
The Mets are also looking for a replacement for outfielder Brandon Nimmo, who was sent to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien. His replacement would be Jeff McNeil in left field to start the season.
While Stearns wouldn’t rule out another big move this offseason, he was preaching balance on the first day of the winter meetings.
“I think we’re probably going to make some moves that don’t get a lot of headlines, that we think are really impactful moves for our organization,” Stearns said. “I imagine that throughout the offseason, there will also be moves that will allow you guys to write a lot. And so I think it’s probably a combination of both, and that’s what we should be doing.”
