Over the past nine years, Pete Alonso has developed relationships with hundreds of players and dozens of coaches in the Mets organization. He has come to know trainers, public relations staffers and front office members.

Pete Alonso has a message for New York Mets owner Steve Cohen: “Sorry.” Cohen took the unprecedented step of talking about free agent negotiations publicly a few weeks ago, characterizing them as “exhausting” to a group of fans and media at the team’s Amazin’ Day event.

The Mets are the only team Pete Alonso has played for since breaking into the majors in 2019, and he said that as much as he wanted to return to New York, hearing from management they wanted him back helped seal the deal.