New York Mets legend Darryl Strawberry previously compared how he left the organization as a free agent after the 1990 campaign to the situation All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso faces this offseason.
Strawberry again addressed Alonso’s future in an Instagram post shared on Wednesday.
“The Mets must sign Peter Alonso to a long-term contract,” Strawberry captioned a video, as shared by Bridget Hyland of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. “He will become the all-time home run leader for the franchise. Only a handful of homegrown every day players have thrived in the pressure of New York City, and Alonso has shown he has what it takes. Just like David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Myself, don’t let Pete go. Keep your homegrown talent!”
Strawberry is the Mets’ all-time leader with 252 career home runs. Alonso, meanwhile, blasted a total of 192 career homers before his 29th birthday (Dec. 7), but his future with the club is very much up in the air as of the final day of November.
Alonso remains eligible for free agency after the 2024 season and is routinely mentioned as a potential trade target for the Chicago Cubs. New Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns does “not anticipate” trading Alonso before Opening Day, but there’s no indication the two sides are close to inking a deal.
Also in his post, Strawberry possibly offered a warning for Alonso while expressing regret over what occurred in the early 1990s.
“1990 Resurfaced when the Mets had plans to trade me,” Strawberry explained. “Back then, I had no real connection with the team’s owners or front office. It was a different era, and relationships between players and management were not as strong as they are now. Unfortunately, a broken relationship ultimately led me to leave the Mets. Looking back, I deeply regret the decision and want to apologize to all the loyal Met fans who supported me during my (eight) years with the team. Love Y’all Forever.”
Alonso may or may not have sent a message to both Stearns and Mets owner Steve Cohen via an outfit the “Polar Bear” rocked at Madison Square Garden earlier this week. Strawberry isn’t hiding his feelings regarding the matter, and Alonso responded to the beloved club icon via Instagram:
