Pete Alonso's power display shouldn't be overlooked
ThenMets' Pete Alonso reacts as he runs on his three-run home run against the Marlins during the fourth inning of an MLB game at Citi Field on Tuesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Pete Alonso hits a lot of home runs, too.
For those fixated lately on the Yankees’ guy chasing Roger Maris, it’s been somewhat overlooked that Alonso is hammering his way through the Mets’ own record book, albeit a franchise ledger without a legendary slugger like Ruth. Or Mantle. Or Gehrig. Or DiMaggio.
Anyway, you get the idea. Alonso already owned the Mets’ single-season mark, established when his 53 homers toppled Aaron Judge for the rookie crown in 2017. But he chalked up another milestone Tuesday night by crushing a three-run homer, his fifth in seven games and 40th overall, to become the first Met with multiple seasons of 40 or more home runs (Darryl Strawberry swatted 39 twice).
Not that Alonso is consumed by the number. And when it comes to stats, the category Alonso holds in the highest regard is RBIs -- he got the Mets’ record for that with Sunday’s five-RBI performance against the A’s. And with three more (through four innings) Tuesday against the Marlins, Alonso broke a tie with Judge (128) to lead the majors with 131.
But that’s the thing about hitters with freakish power like Pete. Most don’t want to be pigeon-holed as such. They’d rather emphasize the run-production part of the equation, and not be characterized as a blunt instrument that just knocks the ball over the fence.
Alonso is capable of doing it all, however, whether it’s punching a single the other way with men on base or smoking a 450-foot laser to the back of the bleachers, as he did Sunday in Oakland. It’s just that the rockets into the seats have more entertainment value. Everyone wants the video-game blast. The viral highlight.
“Who doesn’t like hitting homers, right?” Alonso said before Tuesday night’s game against the Marlins. “But homers are just happy accidents for me. I just try and put the best possible swing on something in my zone. If it goes, it goes. If it doesn’t, then hope it finds some green grass and helps the team win.”
Alonso has been especially skilled at the latter part, which is why it will be interesting to see where he lands in the NL MVP vote at the end of this season (the balloting doesn’t include the playoffs and the results won’t be revealed until early November). He just earned Co-Player of the Week honors with Albert Pujols for his productive trip through Milwaukee and Oakland, hitting .333 (8-for-24) with four homers, 13 RBIs and a 1.324 OPS over those six games.
Judge and the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber (42) are the only two ahead of Alonso on the homer list, but he’s proven to be just as dangerous as far as wrecking games with one swing. The Mets aren’t one of the more prolific teams in that department -- their 159 home runs ranked 16th before Tuesday’s game -- which makes Alonso’s muscle even more crucial to their success. While Alonso prefers to praise the tenacious at-bats of his teammates, who are also capable of some pop on occasion, manager Buck Showalter admits the destabilizing effect Alonso’s presence has on the opposing pitcher.
And not just for the home runs, either. His ability to deliver when the stakes are highest. Alonso has 27 game-winning RBIs this season, not only the most in the majors but the top total since the stat was first tracked in 1974. His 35 go-ahead RBIs are tied for the second-most for a season in Mets’ history, but he still has eight games left to pass Keith Hernandez (36 in 1985).
“Everybody kind of gets to see that, this guy’s doing it again, he’s doing it again, he’s doing it again -- that’s hard,” Showalter said. “It’s kind of like everybody in the gym knows that Michael Jordan is going to take the last shot and he still does and makes it.”
Showalter went on to describe how every pitcher wants to throw the perfect slider or sinker to Alonso, because they fear what he’ll do if it isn’t. And that level of intimidation leads to mistakes, which Alonso promptly punishes them for.
“I was always amazed at watching people hang breaking balls and throw balls right down the middle to Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa,” Showalter said. “I’d go, 'gosh, why did they do that?' It’s a lot of the anxiety they create in pitchers.”
On the flip side, Alonso has to be wary of pitchers trying to draw him out of the strike zone, to stay patient when he feels the urge to be aggressive in a pivotal spot. When you’re smacking homers with regularity, or being relied on as the team’s run-producing Terminator, there’s a weight involved with that, an even greater pressure to perform.
Alonso makes sure to credit the balance of the Mets’ lineup as a whole for the team’s success at the plate, but the power always gets our attention. Just look at what’s going on with Judge across town. And don’t sleep on Alonso flexing over in Flushing.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
