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.

Alonso agreed to a two-year, $54 million deal to return to the Mets on February 12, after three months of negotiations. Midway through the chase, owner Steve Cohen said negotiations with the free agent first baseman were "exhausting," a sentiment the player did not share.

Pete Alonso’s meeting with Mets officials in Tampa two weeks ago pushed him toward a return with the club, but his desire for a reunion was also stoked elsewhere.