All offseason long, as the Mets and free agent Pete Alonso danced while New York was busy signing Juan Soto to the most monumental deal in the history of the franchise and making a ton of other upgrades to a now-loaded roster, there were people who kept twisting themselves into knots trying to figure out where else Alonso could land.
The Blue Jays? They never really made sense because their main focus has been attempting to re-sign first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and because their five-year deal for Anthony Santander was so heavily deferred that it was fair to believe any deal for Alonso would've been similarly structured -- and undesirable.
The Giants? Aside from the fact that there was never any offer made to Alonso (as far as we know), San Francisco was an ill fit because its ballpark is a killer for right-handed power hitters. Why would Alonso go there while trying to rebuild his value? He wouldn't.
The Angels? Of all the teams linked to Alonso, loosely or otherwise, Los Angeles -- with an impetuous owner who loves giving out questionable deals -- stood as perhaps the one that made the most sense when it came to a willingness to offer something no one else would. But they didn't. And even if they had, Alonso would've been going to baseball purgatory.
The Yankees? This was perhaps the most nonsensical one, which was bandied about early in the offseason before the Bombers signed Paul Goldschmidt. It never made any sense -- not with the Yankees already having two right-handed power hitters on long-term deals who strike out at a relatively high clip in the middle of their lineup. And not with them reluctant to carry a payroll of $300 million or more for the foreseeable future.
So when SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino broke the news on Wednesday night that Alonso and the Mets were in agreement on a two-year deal that will pay him $30 million in 2025 and $24 million in 2026 (if he doesn't opt out), it should have surprised no one.
Alonso and the Mets were always going to find their way back to one another, because the fit made too much sense for both sides for it to not happen. Even when owner Steve Cohen candidly discussed his frustration with the situation, he made sure to leave the door open.
For the Mets, their lineup would've been fine without Alonso. But they're not going for fine.
Had Alonso signed elsewhere, the Mets' offense still would've been better situated than it was last season, since they would have in effect replaced Alonso with Soto. But that wasn't enough -- not for a team that shares a division with two other potential powerhouse teams in Atlanta and Philadelphia.