The Mets traded or lost three key pieces of the franchise in free agency this week.
Pete Alonso
How obtained: Drafted in the second round (No. 64 overall) in 2016 by the University of Florida.
Tenure with the Mets: 7 seasons
Highlights: It has to start with his famous three-run, go-ahead home run off now-Mets closer Devin Williams in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the 2024 wild-card series that saw the Mets reach their final out.
There were back-to-back Home Run Derby titles in 2019 – as a rookie – and in 2021 (there was no Derby in 2020).
There was his Rookie of the Year and five-time All-Star honors. And there was overnight brilliance that helped him become the Mets’ all-time home run leader last year.
Oh, and we can’t forget that he coined the phrase LFGM for “Let’s f–king go Mets.”
How it ended: After two years of an uncertain long-term future, he opted out of his two-year contract after last season and signed a five-year, $155 million contract with the Orioles in free agency on Wednesday. The Mets didn’t even make an offer, the Post’s Joel Sherman reported.
Edwin Diaz
How obtained: Acquired from the Mariners along with Robinson Cano in a seven-player trade in 2018, with the Mets most notably giving up then-heralded prospect Jarred Kelenic.
Tenure with the Mets: Seven seasons, although he missed the entire 2023 season due to injury
Highlights: His entrance on Timmy Trumpet’s “Narco” became one of the most exciting attractions in sports, and he lived up to it by emerging as perhaps the best – and most electric – closer in the MLB.
He overcame a brutal first season with the team – in which the trade was criticized – to become a fan favorite and two-time All-Star with the team.
However, missing the 2023 season after tearing his patellar tendon while celebrating the World Baseball Classic was a low point.
How it ended: He opted out of his contract after last season and signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers on Tuesday. The Mets offered three years for $66 million, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman.
Brandon Nimmo
How obtained: Drafted in the first round (No. 13 overall) in 2011 out of Cheyenne East High School in Wyoming.
Tenure with the Mets: 10 seasons
Highlights: The constant smile on his face and his habit of sprinting to first base after a walk made him popular among fans.
Although he was never an All-Star, it was his day-in and day-out consistency that made him a valuable asset; he has played more than 150 games each of the past four seasons.
His most memorable moment came in Game 161 of the Mets’ magical 2024 season, when he hit a two-run homer against the Braves.
How it ended: The Mets traded him to the Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien.
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