Mets' Pete Alonso faces potential last Citi Field home game Sunday
Mets first baseman Pete Alonso hits an RBI single against the Philadelphia Phillies during the eighth inning of an MLB game at Citi Field on Saturday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Heading into his final guaranteed home game at Citi Field, Pete Alonso insisted he is not thinking about that possibility at all.
The Mets will host the Phillies on Sunday night in their Queens regular-season finale. Alonso is slated to be a free agent after the season. It is entirely feasible that the Mets will come back for playoff dates, but they won’t know for sure for another week-plus.
“It’s a big game for the team,” Alonso said Saturday. “How my mind is: I’m not really focused on the hypotheticals and the potentials because my mind is pretty set on, hey, this isn’t going to be the last game because we’re going to be going far in the postseason. For me, that’s what the goal is. That’s what the goal has always been.”
Then he offered, unsolicited and more emphatically than in the past, about free agency: “Regarding future stuff, I mean, we love it here. I love it here. Can’t guarantee anything, but my family and I, we love it here. It’s been such a treat . . . I trust and believe that the right thing is supposed to happen in the offseason, but right now, I’m really locked in on helping this team get to the playoffs and going really deep.”
The Mets will need to qualify for the playoffs and win the best-of-three first round on the road (likely against the Brewers or Padres) in order to return to Citi Field for the NLDS.
“It’s not going to be his last game here. We’re planning on playing more games here this year,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We’re not ready to call it. I’m telling you, we’re expecting to be back here this year and play more games here.”
Senga update
Kodai Senga (left calf strain) threw 15 pitches in a scoreless inning for Triple-A Syracuse.
He could have gone longer — with maximums of two innings and 35 pitches heading into the assignment — but Syracuse scored eight runs in the next half-inning, creating a long wait. If he continues to feel healthy, the Mets intend to have Senga pitch in Milwaukee next weekend.
Lindor watch
Francisco Lindor’s new best-case scenario is returning Tuesday, when the Mets open a series in Atlanta. His back felt “better” Saturday, Mendoza said, but seemingly not in a significant way. He took batting practice again, this time mixing in lefthanded swings, but didn’t complete an all-encompassing baseball activities workout.
The Mets have not discussed using Lindor as a designated hitter, according to Mendoza, who noted that that might make it difficult for Lindor to keep his back loose between at-bats.
“We haven’t gotten to that point, but the way we see it is, when he’s ready to go, he’s playing shortstop for us,” Mendoza said. The Mets have not provided an actual diagnosis of Lindor’s injury.
Blackburn out
Paul Blackburn is out for at least the rest of the regular season. He has resumed throwing but still is in the catch phase, several days at minimum away from getting on a mound.
Acquired from the Athletics at the trade deadline, Blackburn made five starts for the Mets, three good ones and two bad ones for a 5.18 ERA. He has been on the injured list for a month, initially because of a bruised right hand and then because of a spinal fluid leak.
Extra bases
Mendoza benched J.D. Martinez, who is hitless in his past 31 at-bats, against another lefthanded starter. “He’s going through a tough stretch. It’s hard,” Mendoza said. “But we also got some other players who are performing and playing well . . . He’ll step up. He’s too good of a hitter. In today’s case, I just felt like I needed the guys that are in the lineup.” . . . Brandon Nimmo on Luisangel Acuna’s defense: “Shortstop at an elite level is not an easy thing to find, and he’s been able to do that.” . . . Nimmo is 14-for-14 in steal attempts this year.
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.
