The New York Mets never put a number on the table. The Baltimore Orioles did: five years, $155 million. In his first season out of Queens, Pete Alonso is hitting 38 home runs, driving in 105 runs and posting a .864 OPS — while Statcast ranks him at the 98th percentile in exit velocity, hard-hit rate and xwOBA. The debate over whether the Mets got it wrong was settled weeks ago.
What actually happened: there was no bidding war
The popular version of events says the Mets «let Alonso walk.» The more accurate one, documented by reporters Anthony DiComo and Joel Sherman, is that David Stearns’ front office never made a formal offer. No negotiation. No counteroffer. Just a decision not to participate.
The Orioles didn’t have to outbid anyone — they simply showed up. The five-year, $155 million contract signed in December 2025 made Alonso the first baseman with the second-highest AAV in baseball history at $31 million per season, trailing only Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($35.7M). New York, meanwhile, pivoted to Bo Bichette on a three-year, $126 million deal.
The Mets’ decision had a defensive logic behind it: Alonso graded out at minus-8 Outs Above Average at first base in 2024 and minus-9 in 2025. Those glove numbers were real, and they remain the strongest argument for the front office. What nobody saw coming was just how much offense they were walking away from.
A season that doesn’t leave much room for debate
Since the All-Star break, Alonso has slashed .325/.407/.593 with 9 home runs and 20 RBI in 140 plate appearances — the kind of second-half run that turns a good season into a great one. As of September 18, 2026, he leads or ranks top three in the American League in RBI.
The Statcast profile is about as clean as it gets:
- Average exit velocity: 93.9 mph — 98th percentile
- Hard-hit rate: 56% — 98th percentile
- xwOBA: .394 — 98th percentile
- Barrel rate: 14.1% — 92nd percentile
- Bat speed: 74.6 mph — 79th percentile
- Sprint speed: 6th percentile (yes, that part hasn’t changed)
In plain terms: the Polar Bear is hitting the ball as hard as almost anyone in baseball right now.
One number worth flagging: the .361 OBP circulating in some reports would be a strong mark, but not Alonso’s career best — he posted a .374 OBP with the Mets in 2025. That detail doesn’t change the overall picture, but it’s worth keeping accurate.
The full 2026 stat line
- Plate appearances: 665
- Home runs: 38
- RBI: 105
- AVG: .267
- OPS: .864
- xwOBA: .394
- Extra-base hits: 62
- Total bases: 292
- GIDP: 13 in 91 opportunities
The return to Citi Field
No number fully captures what happened on September 14 when Alonso walked back into Citi Field. The Mets played a tribute video. The crowd gave him a standing ovation. He responded by hitting career home run No. 301 in that ballpark. Baltimore won the series — and in the process, effectively closed the door on New York’s postseason hopes. Bittersweet doesn’t quite cover it.
