While the New York Mets did a great job retooling their roster this offseason to compete in the NL East once again in 2026, it remains to be seen whether the team’s offensive acquisitions will replace what Pete Alonso brought to the team.
Alonso signed a five-year, $155 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles in free agency this past offseason after spending his entire big league career with the Mets (he made his debut in 2019). Not only was Alonso one of baseball’s premier power hitters during that time (as shown by his holding the Mets’ franchise record in career home runs), but he was a key part of their clubhouse chemistry and camaraderie.
New acquisitions Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr., along with returning stars like Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, should do a solid job of keeping the Mets’ offense afloat with Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil no longer around. But even if the Mets’ offense is better this season than it was last year, fans will still have a hard time getting used to the Polar Bear not playing first base at Citi Field.