Juan Soto’s record-shattering deal didn’t happen overnight—nor did it happen in a vacuum. While most credit his generational talent and sky-high market value, there’s an unexpected name lurking in the background: Pete Alonso.

New York Mets slugger Juan Soto spoke about how Pete Alonso potentially returning to the Mets was a factor in his free agency decision.

Free agent signing Juan Soto sang the praise of his new teammate Pete Alonso in his first spring training press conference with the New York Mets. Alonso seemed destined to end up on a new team after a turgid free-agent market meant he could return to the Mets on a bargain two-year,