The departure of Pete Alonso to the Baltimore Orioles is a jagged pill to swallow for a Mets fanbase that watched him grow from a rookie sensation into a franchise icon.
However, David Stearns has never been one to mourn for long, and the Mets’ front office is reportedly already pivoting toward a high-upside solution that could make the loss of Alonso feel like a distant memory… or not.
Munetaka Murakami, the Japanese slugger who shattered records in the NPB, is officially posted and available, offering the kind of transformative power that could redefine the middle of the Mets’ lineup. According to Jon Heyman, the Mets are “in” on him in free agency,
Murakami isn’t just a consolation prize; he is a 25-year-old phenom who offers a completely different financial and athletic profile compared to the aging Alonso.
While his 2025 season in Japan was shortened by an oblique injury, the numbers he put up were nothing short of terrifying for opposing pitchers. In just 56 games, Murakami launched 22 home runs and posted an OPS north of 1.000, proving that his power stroke is ready for the world stage.
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Unmatched Upside at a Fraction of the Cost
The Orioles committed $155 million to Alonso, paying for past performance and hoping the decline phase is gentle, but Murakami represents a bet on the future.
At five years younger than Alonso, Murakami is just entering his physical prime and brings a left-handed bat that targets the short porch in right field, a dynamic the Mets have been desperate to add. His legendary 2022 season, where he hit 56 homers to break Sadaharu Oh’s record for a Japanese-born player, serves as the ultimate proof of concept for his ceiling.
There are legitimate questions about his ability to handle high-velocity fastballs, a common hurdle for NPB hitters transitioning to MLB, but the raw tools are undeniable. Stearns loves finding market inefficiencies, and acquiring a 40-homer potential bat without the nine-figure “proven commodity” tax fits his modus operandi perfectly.
If Murakami clicks, the Mets get a superstar at a discount; if he struggles, the financial commitment won’t cripple the franchise like a bad veteran contract would.
Versatility That Opens Up the Roster
One of the hidden benefits of pivoting to Murakami is the defensive flexibility he offers compared to the rigid first-base-only profile of Alonso. Primarily a third baseman in Japan, Murakami has the athleticism to handle the hot corner or slide across the diamond to first base, giving manager Carlos Mendoza options to rotate the lineup. This versatility allows the Mets to keep the designated hitter spot fluid or pursue other bats without creating a defensive logjam.
The Mets need to replace Alonso’s production, not just his position, and Murakami is one of the few players on the planet with the raw power to match the “Polar Bear” swing for swing. It is a riskier path than re-signing the known quantity, but it is also the kind of bold, forward-thinking move that separates contenders from pretenders. The King of Queens is gone, but the “Village God” might be ready to take the throne.
Looking Ahead: A New Era of Power in Queens
The next few weeks will determine if the Mets are serious about retooling on the fly or if they are taking a step back. Signing Murakami would send a clear message that the organization intends to remain a powerhouse, swapping one premier slugger for another with solid upside. It won’t be easy to see Alonso in orange and black, but watching Murakami launch moonshots into the Coca-Cola Corner would certainly help ease the pain.