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Pete Alonso rival from failed NY Mets-Padres trade is going to the KBO

Pete Alonso won this rookie rivalry.
Pete Alonso, signs an autograph for, Billy Lowen, 20, of Sparta, NJ. Saturday, March 2, 2019

Mets Spring Training
Pete Alonso, signs an autograph for, Billy Lowen, 20, of Sparta, NJ. Saturday, March 2, 2019 Mets Spring Training | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It seems like only yesterday Pete Alonso was putting together one of the best rookie seasons in MLB history for the New York Mets. During that run to 53 home runs and a Rookie of the Year win, he made a new enemy.

Chris Paddack was a fellow freshman on the San Diego Padres roster. Paddack declared he was “coming for” Alonso and backed it up by striking out the Polar Bear twice. The rivalry began with Alonso taking home April Rookie of the Month honors with a 9 home run, 1.024 OPS performance vs. Paddack at 2-1 with a 1.91 ERA.

As they aged, Alonso became one of the league’s most prolific and polarizing players in the league. Paddack, since his 3.33 ERA season as a rookie in 2019, has been oft-injured and the owner of a 5.26 ERA. He’ll look to rectify his career overseas with a new contract in the KBO.

Never forget when the Mets almost traded for Chris Paddack

It was after the 2021 season when the Mets and Padres were on the verge of making a major blockbuster trade shortly before the start of the 2022 campaign. It was early April and with the start of the season pushed back and offseason abbreviated, both clubs were ready for a change but couldn’t agree on the exact terms.

Reportedly, Paddack, Eric Hosmer, and Emilio Pagan were set to get traded to the Mets along with some cash. In return, the Mets would have sent them Dominic Smith.

Smith ended up hitting .194 with 0 home runs in 2022 and spent a good part of the year in the minors. The Padres managed to trade Hosmer, who was hitting .272, to the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline. His large salary worth $21 million in 2022 and $39 million more over the next three seasons was must-move for the Padres. Pagan also ended up traded, but to the Minnesota Twins. He didn’t pitch well, further suggesting this could-have-been trade could have resulted in nothing more than Steve Cohen losing money.

Locker room chemistry would have been an even bigger topic for the Mets. “Are Alonso and Paddack getting along?” would have been a precursor to Francisco Lindor vs. Juan Soto. If the fans and Jesse Winker can get on the same side, Polar Bear and Paddack could have been best friends.

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