The New York Mets held their first winter event for fans in five years at Citi Field on Saturday, and there was one notable absence. Pete Alonso wasn't in attendance because, for the first time since the 2016 draft,

Mets fans got some face time with the owner during a panel session at the team’s Amazin’ Day fanfest at Citi Field. During the session, fans began chanting “we want Pete”, leading Cohen to provide an update on where things stand.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen acknowledged Saturday that the team could be moving toward a future without Pete Alonso at first base. Cohen acknowledged

Just before Mets owner Steve Cohen answered a question about where things stand with Alonso, a homegrown star and free agent first baseman, during a panel discussion, a spirited crowd began chanting, “Let’s Sign Pete! Let’s sign Pete! Let’s sign Pete!”

This was a recurring theme throughout SNY broadcaster Gary Cohen’s conversation with the Mets’ leadership. Later, after Stearns repeated how much the team loves Alonso, their homegrown, free agent first baseman, Stearns expressed that they “also feel really good about the young players that are coming through (the) system.”

Steve Cohen can afford to pay Pete Alonso whatever he wants. The man ranked No. 162 on Bloomberg's Billionaires index has already committed to paying Juan Soto

Contract talks between Pete Alonso and the New York Mets are not progressing at the rate fans would like. That puts Steve Cohen under the microscope.