In an exclusive interview, Mets owner Steve Cohen elucidates how the club struck a deal with Pete Alonso that aligns perfectly with David Stearns' guide to becoming a perennial contender.

PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets can expect a “motivated” Pete Alonso this season. David Stearns, the team’s president of baseball operations, used that description of the slugging first baseman Wednesday after Alonso’s two-year contract worth $54 million for a return to the Mets became official.