After missing the playoffs, the New York Mets were expected to attack free agency in hopes making a quick return. However, the Mets have now seen Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz walk away from the organization.
Diaz signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers while the Baltimore Orioles signed Alonso to a five-year, $155 million pact. Mets owner Steve Cohen is well aware of how discontent the fanbase has become after the departures, via Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
“I understand the fans' reaction,” Cohen said. “There is lots of offseason left to put a playoff team on the field.”
With Diaz and Alonso now gone, the Mets seemingly have much more flexibility to work with when it comes to payroll. Cohen has proven he is willing to break out the checkbook, when New York signed Juan Soto to a $765 million contract.
Still, Alonso was a homegrown star, having spent his entire MLB career to this point with the Mets. Diaz has been the team's closer since 2019. While New York knew changes needed to be made, fans are understandably upset after watching two of their biggest stars not get large contracts from New York.
How Cohen and the Mets respond from here will be telling. They now have holes at first base and closer. They could fill them with internal options. But maybe the money that would go to Alonso and Diaz now goes to their replacement.
Regardless of how it is spent, New York is now in need of firepower across the roster. Cohen is at least aware of that fact and is working towards remedying the issue.
