Mets Rumors: Pete Alonso Took News of Buck Showalter's Firing 'The Hardest'

A New York Mets star player is reportedly not happy he will have a new manager in 2024.

According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, slugger Pete Alonso took news of Buck Showalter's firing "the hardest" among the team and "had to be talked out of going directly to Steve Cohen to voice his unhappiness with the decision."

Showalter told reporters Sunday he would not be returning in 2024, marking the end of a disappointing season for the veteran manager.

New York missed the playoffs and finished in fourth place in the National League East at 74-87 despite having the highest payroll in the league this season. Expectations were high after the team went 101-61 in 2022, but nothing worked out for the Mets in 2023.

They ended up trading Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer away, lost closer Edwin Díaz to injury before the season even started and played out the string for the final months of the campaign.

While injuries and poor performances can't all be blamed on the manager, especially after he led the team to such an impressive showing just one year ago, the front office clearly decided it was time to make a change before what could be an important offseason that sets the tone for a potential bounce-back effort.

Showalter has managed the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles during previous stops of a long career and has a 1,726-1,665 record with six playoff appearances and four Manager of the Year awards on his resume.

Alonso wanted to give the veteran another chance to chase the elusive World Series championship in 2024, but another team will have to hire Showalter if that is going to happen.

That the slugger is unhappy is notable since the 2024 campaign is the final one of his current contract with the Mets. While it remains to be seen if New York offers him a megadeal and locks him in for the foreseeable future, the 28-year-old may be unhappy enough that he decides to look elsewhere when he hits free agency.

For now, he is reportedly unhappy with the managerial change. But plenty can change before his scheduled free agency.