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Inside The Mets

Pete Alonso Reacts to Mets' Poor Start

Returning to New York for the first time since leaving the Mets, Pete Alonso isn't worried about his former team's struggles.
May 1, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA;  Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) takes batting practice before the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
May 1, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) takes batting practice before the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Not much went right for the New York Mets over the first month of the season.

Entering May, the Mets are saddled with the worst record in baseball at 10-21. Many of the players they expected to contribute have either woefully underperformed (Bo Bichette, David Peterson), dealt with injuries (Juan Soto), or both (Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr., Kodai Senga). As a result of these factors, New York has lost 17 of their last 20 games.

Despite everything going wrong for the Mets, there are still observers who are optimistic that the team can turn things around. This includes owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns, both of whom gave manager Carlos Mendoza their vote of confidence. In Stearns' case, Cohen has reassured him that his own job is safe.

Another optimistic observer of the Mets' situation is in another uniform but remains one of the most beloved players in the team's recent history.

With the Baltimore Orioles playing the New York Yankees this weekend, Pete Alonso is making his return to the city he called home for the first seven seasons of his career. Alonso signed a lucrative five-year, $155 million contract with the Orioles over the winter, concluding his Mets tenure as their all-time home run leader with 264 long balls.

During pregame interviews, Alonso was asked by SNY's Michelle Margaux about the struggles of his old squad. The slugger then affirmed his belief that the Amazins' can turn things around, citing his own experiences.

"It's baseball. Every team goes through ups and downs," Alonso said. "Every person on the planet wrote off the 2024 Mets until we made it happen. There’s tough times everywhere, but there’s more of a microscope in New York. It sucks in the now, but they have talent and they'll be just fine."

Pete Alonso Cites 2024 Mets as Reason for Hope

The 2024 Mets' story is very well known at this point, but for those who need a refresher, they started 22-33 through their first 55 games. New York then went an MLB-best 67-40 the rest of the way to clinch a Wild Card spot, and carried that momentum into the postseason by coming within two games of a World Series appearance.

It is worth mentioning that 2024 was a difficult season for Alonso himself. The now 31-year-old first baseman had a down year by his standards with "only" 34 homers and a .788 OPS, which hurt his status as a pending free agent. But Alonso responded with a great postseason that included his iconic go-ahead ninth inning homer in the Wild Card Series, and after re-signing with New York on a pillow contract, he enjoyed a monster 2025 that vaulted him to the top of the Mets' homer leaderboard and earned him the subsequent Orioles contract.

Even with New York shaking up their core over the winter that resulted in the exodus of Alonso and other fan favorites, Alonso still knows the Mets rather well. The currently-injured Lindor is the best example, but having a front-row seat to players like Soto, Nolan McLean, Francisco Alvarez, and Clay Holmes certainly influenced the Polar Bear's endorsement of the Mets' talent level.

Nonetheless, talk is cheap at this point. The Mets can no longer expect things to even out as they've dug themselves into a hole that may be too deep to escape. Both old and new faces need to play to the back of their baseball cards and make a few adjustments, because whatever they're doing right now clearly isn't working.

But if the Mets defy the odds and put themselves back in the race, Alonso will be one of the first to say "I told you so."

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Joe Najarian
JOE NAJARIAN

Joe Najarian is the Deputy Editor and a writer for the New York Mets On SI site. He got his bachelor’s degree in journalism with a specialization in sports from Rutgers University, graduating in 2022. Joe has previously written for Jersey Sporting News and for the New York Giants On SI site. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @JoeNajarian