Pete Alonso Explains Why He Left New York Mets for Baltimore Orioles

Obviously, welcome to Baltimore. You’ve already talked so highly about the city, but after the news came out that you were signing here, Buck Sha Walter only had great things to say about you, what were some of your conversations with like what did he share with you about what to expect when coming to Baltimore and playing in front of these fans? Well, um I I did give him a call and I mean for Buck being here for I don’t know maybe 10 11 years something like that. Um he had nothing but beautiful things to say not just about the fan base um just this whole area and he was very very like just I again he was Buck’s always funny. uh he always has his uh his isms. Um and he just he just said that this this is a no doubt on like just hands down baseball environment. Everything is focused on what’s between the lines. He’s like Canid’s a phenomenal place. Like it’s one of those it’s just one of those like iconic parks you’re going to enjoy like playing in every single day. And um he’s like, “Listen, this is” He’s like, “Pete, you’re going to absolutely crush this place.” So, and he’s like, “Yep, Pete, God bless. God bless. God bless.” Um, but he’s uh Yeah, Buck’s one of my Buck’s one of my all-time favorites, and he had nothing but beautiful things to say. Do you have a message to all the Mets fans who have kind of come out and watched you play at City Field over the last seven years? I know today is about the future, but just wanted to give you that opportunity as well. Oh, for sure. Um, again like uh the past year and a half I would say I mean it the thing Yeah. Okay. Things can you have trials and tribulations but there’s just moments um I mean like this one where I’m just overcome with joy where it just justifies the hard work. It justifies the sacrifice and um it’s really kind of it’s really galvanizing. It’s really energizing and it’s it where you look back over the the quest or the journey it’s like yeah like certain things is is worth it like um like even even to start like right after the postseason in 24 it’s like okay we’re going back and going back to Tampa to no house cuz it got flooded by Helen and and then it’s like and then it’s like we’re free agent and then it’s like where do we go? What do we do? So that then having all that and then having now it’s like a a sense of home. It it’s it’s really it’s it’s really tremendous and um and and again like I’ve really enjoyed uh playing in New York. I mean I’m I’m very gracious um for that opportunity and and again like there’s some amazing people over there. There’s some um I mean whether it be the locker room staff uh I mean clubies like is is phenomenal you know like I I really enjoyed my time but this right here this is like this organization this city I I’m so proud to call it home I think it was well documented that you really loved being a New York Met was there a conversation or maybe something in negotiations that you started to really see yourself as a Baltimore Orio? Yeah, I mean for sure. I think um as like the free agent process like once you I mean once once that kind of starts um you really kind of don’t know uh what’s going to happen. It’s kind of like this weird baseball limbo. Um but then as you start to sit down and and really kind of think about things um you you kind of have some time to really reflect. But then honestly like as the offseason progressed and realistically I mean as as we got further along this this partnership has for me it this it just it was just head and shoulders above every everybody else like this this park this this city this team this organization everything combined it just everything just just clicked. It just and for me I think that was absolutely it was the perfect fit for not just as a player but as a for for family life too. I mean this is I mean there’s I I could go up and down a laundry list of things where it’s like there’s just so many boxes like every single box this place checks and for us we’re just so pleased and for for this organization to see see me um not just in the now but in the future. I mean, such a it’s such a blessing and I I I can’t wait to play. Can’t wait to perform.

“I’ve really enjoyed playing in New York. I’m very gracious for that opportunity. There’s some amazing people over there, whether it be the locker room staff, clubbies, it’s phenomenal. I really enjoyed my time, but this right here, this organization, this city, I’m so proud to call it home.”

– Pete Alonso

“This partnership was head and shoulders above everybody else. This park, this city, this team, this organization. Everything combined. It was the perfect fit.”

-Pete Alonso on why he chose the Orioles

@JeffSkverskyYouTube

50 comments

  2. Honestly, I don't know why anybody would have wanted to play in New York. The taxes are insane. I'm surprised florida, Texas isn't overloaded with players.Trying to get there

  5. Pete's not the best speaker, yet always sincere, never glib. And interviews like this are tough, he knows O's fans want to hear enthusiasm for the years to come, and he must be careful not to express sadness about his Mets departure.

  7. Pete just signed with the Mets of the AL East. Another team that hasn't won anything since the 80s. And if he thought the NL East was tough wait until he has to deal with the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Red Sox on a regular basis! You ain't seen nothing yet Pete!

  8. The Mets Organization is run by a group of WOKE INEPT MORONS. That’s why step one was to ditch an experienced winner manager Buck Schowalter!!! Hes not a coddling schmuck follower so they couldn’t CONTROL HIM! Willie Randolph all over again.

  12. Pete was just a dedicated player made no excuses went out there & played everyday stayed healthy & is a great teammate & it's really really sad to see him go I am very sad that he's gone as a Mets fan this is one of the most disappointing things that I've ever had to experience & I am NOT a happy fan right now I can only say that I am happy for him & the Baltimore Orioles… they were smart enough to grab such a great player & I wish them nothing but success no player in my opinion will be good enough to replace Pete & that's that

  15. All the Mets fans throwing hate at him are dumb he's a stand up dude who loved his time in ny why not hold on to the good memories 🤷‍♂️

  22. He was a great baseball player on mets. Listen to him he say mets is like mets. But orioles is my home so he say. Im out new York it great but. I'm here for the money and it's home. Can't wait to play . I shows he want out the team

  24. I remember Nolan Ryan. I remember Ken Singleton. I remember Amos Otis. I remember Tom Seaver. They decided to make sure they kicked Seaver to the curb not once but twice. Yes then there was Strawberry too. Somehow this franchise that I have decided to be my favorite baseball team since 1967 loves to get rid of really great players. This one takes the cake for me with Alonso. I saw two World Series championships in my lifetime. I will not see another.

  26. Mets ownership, especially their jackass GM Stearns, never made a meaningful offer for this solid baseball player and arguably one of their homegrown fan favorites. All Pete did was play every game (162) to the best of his ability, didn't cause any ego-related problems, with a slash line of 38 homers/126 RBIs/.871 OPS. And how are they going to replace that??

  29. Pete was the reason they almost went all the way in 2024 when he hit that iconic homerun against the Brewster to advance the Mets further, and this is how the organization repayed him. I'm so glad im not a Met fan they deserved better also.

  31. Pete is lying through his teeth. I can see it in his face. He’s not happy cause he’s a true Met! He has no feelings for the orioles. That is evident. He will be back to finish his career as a Met. That’s his destiny. He bleeds blue and white.

  33. The Mets owner doesn't care about the team anymore all he cares now is the interest of the casino around the ballpark this is just like in The godfather when Michael is turning all the interest in the olive oil business to the casino

  34. The METS organization has been cursed by poor ownership and management. They gutted the heart of the team. Now they are looking for you to buy tickets. What idiot would support this team with this owner, general manager, and the mediocre players left who caused the Mets to suck? I hope the METS remain in last place for many years to come, owner fires the GM, looses the fan base, causing him to sell the team. Then maybe they can rebuild.

  40. Pete gave the Mets every chance to sign him, short of compromising his own income and keeping up with MLBPA requirements.

    The Mets will learn that sometimes you don’t appreciate something, until it’s gone.

  43. I don’t miss no one especially Soto way way way way way too much money no one deserves that much money I work very hard for spent too much money for players and owners f that

  49. Good for you Pete! The NYM should have given you your contract the moment you save our season last year. I think I speak for most Mets fans when I say, we were all hoping and praying you would finish what you started in Queens.
    This Mets fan base is stunned, and heartbroken.
    Go kill it in Baltimore.

  50. Frankly, the Mets are perpetual losers! How do they let this guy leave? Bunch of schmucks! Losers since 1986! You can have all the money as owners, yet make terrible decisions! Money doesn’t buy baseball championships! Good baseball does.

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