NEW YORK -- Mets legend Darryl Strawberry was ecstatic to learn that free agent Pete Alonso is ¡°staying home¡± with the Amazin¡¯s.

Strawberry called Alonso a homegrown player who has made his mark in the Big Apple, and Alonso has a chance to add to his legacy this season. He is 27 homers away from breaking the Mets¡¯ career mark (252), held by Strawberry, who played for the Mets from 1983-90.

¡°He is going to break it and somebody is going to break his. That¡¯s just the way it goes in sports,¡± Strawberry said via telephone. ¡°If I had a record that long, it means I accomplished something. ¡­ When he does break it, it¡¯s a big congratulations, just like when David Wright broke my RBI record. It¡¯s a big congratulations to those younger players that came along and had great success with the same franchise.¡±

Alonso has accomplished quite a bit during his six years with the Mets. Three years after being drafted in the second round of the 2016 Major League Draft, he hit a Major League rookie-record 53 home runs and won the first of his two Home Run Derbies. His signature moment came last October in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series, when he hit the go-ahead homer against Brewers closer Devin Williams and helped the Mets advance to the Division Series against the Phillies.

• 6 key takeaways from Alonso¡¯s return to the Mets

¡°He is staying true to where he has had great success. I think that is important, being able to do that and not walk away from the situation,¡± Strawberry said. ¡°It¡¯s a plus for him as he continues to move forward. ¡­ I know it¡¯s a tough decision. Of course, every player has every right to get as much as he can. A career doesn¡¯t last forever.¡±

Strawberry often said he didn¡¯t want Alonso to make the same mistake he made after he became a free agent following the 1990 season, when he signed with the Dodgers. A seven-time All-Star while playing for the Mets, Strawberry never lived up to expectations after moving on to Los Angeles and then the Giants. He would later become a valuable bench player with the Yankees from 1995-99 and helped them win two World Series titles.

• Fans spoke. The Mets listened. The Polar Bear is back

¡°It¡¯s not the same after playing in a place like New York,¡± Strawberry said. ¡°First of all, New York is the toughest place to play. To be able to play under that kind of expectation and perform at the highest level in a particular place like New York City, you have arrived as a player. A lot of players won¡¯t play there because of the pressure, media and everything that you have to deal with. But Pete has done that.

¡°The only thing that is left for him now is to win [a World Series title]. The thing I have on my record is that we won there. [The Mets] were in the National League Championship Series [in 1988 against the Dodgers] and we lost. No one is going to remember if you don¡¯t win. That¡¯s the whole thing about playing in New York. It¡¯s about winning there. That¡¯s what the Mets and Pete are looking at now. All he needs to do is take this organization to the next level and they need to win.¡±

• 3 reasons Alonso can be a 40-homer hitter again

On paper, the 2025 Mets have the talent to win their first title since 1986, a team Strawberry played for. Besides bringing Alonso back, the team added superstar outfielder Juan Soto to solidify the offense and re-signed left-hander Sean Manaea for the front end of the rotation. Strawberry likes the team, but it won¡¯t be easy because the National League is stacked.

¡°The Mets have a chance to make history for themselves. It has been too long,¡± Strawberry said. ¡°It looks great on paper, but you have to do it on the field. That¡¯s going to be the most important thing. ¡­ Everything has to go right for you to be in the winner¡¯s circle. They have a chance to dominate as an offensive team with [Francisco] Lindor and all the other guys up and down the lineup. [Jeff] McNeil has to come back and have a good year. ¡­ It¡¯s going to take all the guys to be productive in that lineup. I can tell you, the Dodgers, Braves, Phillies and those other teams are not going anywhere. They are very talented, too.¡±