The Mets are struggling. With a 14-23 record, they are tied for the worst record in baseball. Be it their offense or defense, all departments are faltering. They are ranked 29th in terms of total runs scored (134) and 13th in terms of team ERA (4.01).

MLB insider Jon Heyman has found it to be the right time to grab attention without screaming fire in a battered clubhouse. He bought back the exchanges between Pete Alonso and David Stearns from 2024 that could only put the Mets front office’s analytics-based decisions in question.

“When my career is being evaluated for the Hall of Fame years from now, you’ll still be fiddling with your [flipping] formulas,” Heyman quoted Alonso saying this to Stearns.

That’s some fiery dig by Alonso to Stearns for focusing more on analytics. The word “flipping” was chosen as a stand-in for something else.

The Mets’ financial relationship with the Polar Bear was always a turbulent one. Despite being the Mets’ all-time franchise leader in home runs, he was never granted a long-term contract. Since 2022, the Mets have signed a one-year contract each season to avoid arbitration until 2024. It was only by the 2024 season that the Mets and Alonso got serious about a long-term deal.

According to Heyman, Alonso wasn’t thrilled with how negotiations were going, and during a meeting at his Tampa club with Steve Cohen and David Stearns, he made that clear. It was bold because Alonso was coming with a .217 season from 2023 and still promoted him as a potential Hall of Famer. His confidence has worked as the Mets offered him $54 million for 2 years starting in 2025.

However, Stearns was still reportedly reluctant to offer Alonso a long-term deal. He viewed the first baseman through an analytical lens, noting his age (30+) and declining defensive metrics, while Alonso believed his status as a franchise icon and elite power hitter deserved a longer, more lucrative commitment. As per Stearns, players in their 30s tend to face regression.

Alonso proved that in 2025 when he scored 38 HRs at .272. Still, as per MLB insider Joel Sherman, the Mets felt it was beyond their “comfort zone” when Alonso was expecting more years and a higher payout. The Orioles entered the chat and took away the Polar Bear with a $155 million contract for 5 years. Alonso was surely not happy, saying, “I can’t look back and be disgruntled.”

Alonso left, and Stearns stayed with his analytics. Now, as the team is struggling with its offense, Alonso’s latest three-run homer against the Marlins offered a stark contrast about why analytics might not always work. And when it comes to the Mets’ offseason plans, it’s surely not working.

The Mets’ recent loss against the Rockies proved the same. Their lineup was ripped straight from an analytics sheet. Austin Slater was hitting fourth, Andy Ibanez and Tyrone Taylor were in the lineup. Result? Only 1 run came from their combined 6 at-bats. Slater and Ibanez are the Mets’ 2026 additions. We wonder whether Pete Alonso’s presence had any impact.

The Mets’ botched offseason goes beyond Pete Alonso

Alonso has yet to showcase their full worth with the Orioles this year, as he is hitting .225. However, Stearns’ approach of dismantling the team’s core came back to haunt. Take Brandon Nimmo as an example.

The 33-year-old slugger doesn’t fit the Mets’ 30+ age group analytics, but is still hitting .297 with the Rangers. He was elite last year, hitting .262, but was still traded. In exchange, the Mets got Marcus Semien, who is hitting .227 and has scored just 2 homers with the Mets so far. Jeff McNeil, another core member the Mets let go, is hitting .309 with the A’s.

The Mets bet a lot on Bo Bichette for his .311 season last year. This time, he is hitting .237 so far. Stearns also made an Alonso-like mistake with Edwin Diaz.

Despite finishing with a 1.63 ERA, 28 saves, and 98 strikeouts last year, the Mets didn’t make any move to sign him. Instead, they went for Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. Williams is struggling with a 6.17 ERA, and Weaver stands with a 4.70 ERA. Questions would not have been raised if the Mets were performing better, but the reality seems more difficult for David Stearns over manager Carlos Mendoza.