Mets’ Stearns says he gets no mulligans on Alonso exit

After the Mets finished 74-88 and last in the NL East, president of baseball operations David Stearns acknowledged that his offseason strategy of prioritizing pitching and defense failed, saying he would retire the phrase “run prevention.” New York allowed more runs and scored fewer than the previous season, while its first basemen produced poorly after the team let franchise home run leader Pete Alonso leave for Baltimore on a five-year, $155 million deal. Alonso hit 43 home runs and drove in 113 runs for the Orioles, while the Mets’ attempted replacements struggled, including Jorge Polanco, who played only 37 games. Stearns said he does not get “mulligans,” recognized Alonso’s strong season and New York’s inadequate first-base production, and said his focus now is building a roster that performs better.