Pete Alonso sparked plenty of debate after opening up about why he walked away from the Mets. Now with the Orioles as their new first baseman, Alonso said there are no hard feelings about the reunion in Queens never happening! “It really came down to the real negotiations,” Alonso said on Monday. “At that point, it was clear it just wasn’t going to work.”

Reportedly, the 31-year-old slugger ended up signing a five-year, $155 million deal with Baltimore this month, closing the book on his first seven MLB seasons with the Mets. New York, meanwhile, reportedly wasn’t willing to go beyond a three-year offer to power-hitting first basemen in their 30s.

However, according to NY analyst Michael Kay, that cautious approach might come back to bite the Mets in the long run.

“Look, I think the fact that the Mets let Alonso go was a mistake… I don’t get that argument, given that the Mets’ biggest problem this past year was not their core. Their biggest problem was pitching relievers. The trade deadline moves by Sterns were horrific. None of them worked… Stearns pays A’s to take McNeil as he continues to delete the Mets’ core. Great. You’re blowing up the core. How are you adding to it?” Kay went no-holds-barred via his show on Spotify.

Well, Kay’s frustration ties back to what Mets GM David Stearns has done to the team’s identity. For years, the Mets’ core was easy to name: Pete Alonso, Edwin Díaz, Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor, and Jeff McNeil. Now, that group is basically a thing of the past, and outside of Lindor, none of them are still around.

That’s why Kay keeps circling back to Alonso. How do you let go of a guy who literally became the Mets’ all-time home run leader this season, finishing with 264? Alonso was still producing at an elite level, hitting .272 with 38 HRs in 2025. So, the decision looks even harder to justify.

Then there’s Díaz. He wrapped up the year with a ridiculous 1.63 ERA, yet somehow he was not retained.

So, Kay’s argument is simple: the problem wasn’t the core players, but the bullpen. If you remember, the Mets’ bullpen posted a 3.93 ERA last season, which ranked just 15th in the majors. And Díaz alone has been worth more wins above replacement than the entire bullpen combined!

Despite all that, Stearns chose to prioritize breaking up the core. And things didn’t exactly improve at the trade deadline either. The Mets reportedly brought in Ryan Helsley to help close games, but the move backfired badly. In 22 appearances with New York in 2025, Helsley went 0–3 with a 7.20 ERA, allowing 20 runs.

So now, all of that helps explain Kay’s outburst. From his point of view, it’s hard to understand how the Mets convinced themselves that tearing apart their core was the right path forward.

David Stearns had done a few bullpen additions this offseason

With the bullpen taking most of the blame this season, and Díaz’s exit only ripping that wound back open, David Stearns did make some moves, even if they’ve raised more eyebrows than confidence.

For instance, Stearns signed former Yankees closer Devin Williams to a three-year deal. But a quick look at Williams’ 2025 numbers makes the decision fair game for criticism.

He reportedly posted a career-worst 4.79 ERA and converted just 18 of 22 save opportunities, hardly the kind of production that screams a big-ticket signing!

Top Stories

Ross Atkins Told to Act Fast on Kyle Tucker as Latest Contract Projection Ignites New Buzz

Padres Plot Dodgers Revenge With ‘Second Yoshinobu Yamamoto’ Heist As Jed Hoyer Loses Grip, Per Insider

Kyle Tucker Throws Blue Jays Into Chaos as Ross Atkins Forced Into Harsh Job Cuts

3 Players David Stearns & Mets Must Go After To Solve Pete Alonso Void

Bo Bichette-Alex Bregman Warned of Dire Consequences as Kyle Tucker Hijacks MLB Trade Spotlight

Stearns also brought in another ex-Yankee, Luke Weaver, who comes in with a more respectable 3.62 ERA. On paper, it adds depth, but it hasn’t exactly silenced doubts. Fans and analysts alike are still questioning just how much these additions will actually move the needle.

And that skepticism only grows when you factor in the big names the Mets missed out on, like Robert Suárez and Kyle Schwarber.

So, if the bullpen issues linger and the results don’t improve next season, Stearns may want to brace himself, because the heat in Queens isn’t cooling off anytime soon.