Signing Harrison Bader might not have been the big splash New York Mets fans were hoping for this offseason. But Pete Alonso couldn't hide his excitement at the news on Thursday, perhaps a good sign for relations between Alonso and the franchise.
Alonso immediately took to Instagram to let the baseball world know he approves of the Mets inking Bader to a one-year, $10.5 million contract, courtesy of MLB's account on X (formerly Twitter.)
“The diesel bros are back baby!!! Welcome back to the orange and blue!!!! #LFGM,” Alonso captioned a photo of he and Bader as college teammates at the University of Florida.
Alonso and Bader were teammates during the 2014 and 2015 seasons at Florida. The two helped lead the Gators to the College World Series in 2015, with Bader making that season's All-Tournament Team.
Following that season, Bader was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the MLB draft, while Alonso helped Florida make a return trip to the CWS in 2016.
Bader a welcome sight for Alonso
A native of Bronxville, New York, Bader is known primarily for his defensive capabilities in the outfield. Advanced metrics laud him for his abilities in center field as well as his speed, although Bader does have experience in corner outfield spots as well.
If Bader can earn the starting center fielder job, Brandon Nimmo, a capable fielder in his own right, would shift to a corner, improving the Mets' team defense as a whole.
In addition to improving the team's glove work, a roster addition that makes Alonso happy is one that makes sense for the Mets. Since last season's trading deadline, there have been rumors about Alonso's availability on the market.
New Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns has said he expects Alonso to be the team's first baseman in 2024. But with a contract that expires after the season, Alonso's future in Queens is unclear.
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