Mets' Pete Alonso has tough day in loss to Marlins
Pete Alonso against the Miami Marlins during the fifth inning on Sunday. Credit: Getty Images
MIAMI — Just about every time the Mets had a chance to score Sunday afternoon, their offense petered out.
Pete Alonso was in the middle of another disappointing day at the plate in a 4-2 loss to the Marlins, the Mets’ second in three games since they returned from the All-Star break.
As a team, they went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base. Alonso went hitless in his three such chances (and singled in his other at-bat), an extreme instance of what has become his season-long trend.
“I feel like I’m in a really good spot right now,” said Alonso, who statistically is having by far his worst month of 2024.
When the bases are empty this year, Alonso has been a very good hitter: .264 average with an .833 OPS.
When there is at least one runner on, he has been much worse: .207 with a .686 OPS.
That hasn’t always been the case for Alonso, a free agent after this season. In his career, his bases-empty/men-on splits are comparable. They’re even a tad better when the batters ahead of him reach base.
“I really don’t think anything has changed too much,” he said. “Honestly, I just think that’s how it’s been going this year. The only thing I can control is having quality at-bats. And I feel like I’m in a really good spot right now. I just want to keep hitting the ball hard and keep getting pitches to hit in my zone.”
Hitting coach Jeremy Barnes likewise didn’t read much into those splits, describing it as “a byproduct of the bigger picture.” In truth, those splits aren’t a super-scientific way to evaluate a hitter, even across a full season.
Specifically, Barnes said, Alonso has been putting too much pressure on himself.
“He hasn’t had the results that he’s wanted per se,” Barnes said. “Just talking to him, I think that it’s a big year, he wants to help the team win. We’re used to seeing him drive in a gazillion runs and do all that. You could say that about a lot of people. We’re in a playoff race right now, we want to do things. There are times you can put too much pressure on yourself.
“When it’s going well, you can do things without thought. When it’s not going well, it takes a little more thought and mental fortitude.”
Asked if his contract situation is a source of pressure, Alonso said: “Oh, no. I don’t think I’m putting any sort of pressure on myself at all when it comes to that.”
Alonso’s shortcomings Sunday began immediately, with the Mets (50-48) afforded a chance to jump ahead in the top of the first against lefthander Trevor Rogers (4 2⁄3 innings, two runs). Brandon Nimmo was on second base when Alonso flied out.
In the fifth, with two on and one out, Alonso sent a grounder to third for what could have been an inning-ending double play. Instead, Miami (35-64) got just one out, the force at second, before second baseman Xavier Edwards’ low throw to first kept the inning alive.
Finally, facing reliever A.J. Puk in the seventh, Alonso grounded out to Edwards. That left Francisco Lindor at third.
“It’s frustrating,” Alonso said. “I thought that last at-bat there I took a good swing . . . No reward, but I’m going to keep hitting the ball hard and keep having good at-bats.”
On the season, Alonso has 19 home runs (first on the team) and 51 RBIs (third). He is batting .239 with a .766 OPS — solid numbers, but below his usual standards.
“We need him,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s taking better swings. So I think he’s getting there.”
Rookie righthander Christian Scott lasted only four innings, allowing three runs, all on one swing: Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s home run.
Scott worked around lots of baserunners — seven hits, two walks — but avoided real damage until his final frame, when Chisholm took him deep to right on a full-count slider. Mendoza called it “too close to the strike zone.” Scott said he put it “exactly” where he wanted.
“If I throw that pitch 100 times, I probably get him out most of the time,” said Scott, who has a 4.56 ERA. “He made a good swing. I didn’t really feel like it was a mistake.”
The Marlins played very poorly. Catcher Nick Fortes made three throwing errors. Puk balked Lindor, the potential tying run, into scoring position. Leftfielder Bryan De La Cruz just missed two catches in foul territory. Edwards got picked off/caught stealing second.
The Mets could’ve, should’ve had this one.
“I feel like we were right there,” Mendoza said, “and just couldn’t put anything together.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
