Pete Alonso
Player Data: 27 (12/7/1994), B/T: R/R
Primary Stats: 160 G, .271/.352/.518/.869, 40 HR, 27 2B, 131 RBI, 16 IBB
Advanced Stats: 4.4 bWAR, 146 OPS+, .246 ISO, 44.8 HardH%, 5.8 HR%, 9.8 BB%, 89.8 EV
2022 Salary: $7.4 million
Grade: A
2022 Review
The Mets retooled their offense before the 2022 season by adding Starling Marte, Mark Canha, and Eduardo Escobar. However, it was a familiar name that was the backbone of the Mets’ offense.
Pete Alonso had another dominant offensive season in 2022 and provided the Mets with much-needed power. His 40 home runs accounted for 23 percent of the Mets’ long balls and his 131 MLB-leading RBIs accounted for 17 percent of the team’s runs. In 2022, Alonso led MLB with 16 intentional walks and the Mets in home runs, RBI, OPS, OPS+, and total bases.
With each passing year in MLB, Alonso has demonstrated more discipline at the plate. He cut down his strikeout percentage from 19.9% in 2021 to 18.7% while increasing his walk percentage from 9.4% to 9.8%. Alonso has cut down his strikeout percentage every season since his rookie campaign in 2019. The advanced statistics also showed that Alonso successfully pulled the ball in 2022. He increased his pull percentage from 27.4% to 31.6% and 32 of his home runs were to left field.
Despite Alonso’s general drop in average exit velocity and barrels, Alonso’s season was fantastic and he had many record-breaking moments. When he walked off the Rockies on August 26 with an RBI single, Alonso set the Mets’ single-season record for game-winning RBI with 25. The old record of 24 was set by Keith Hernandez in 1985. Alonso finished the season with 27 game-winning RBI, which is tied for the most in MLB with former Mets Willie Mays and Joe Torre.
Alonso also set the Mets’ single-season record for RBI on September 25, when he blasted a two-run home run to record RBIs 124 and 125. The previous Mets’ club record was 124 RBI, held by David Wright (2008) and Mike Piazza (1999). Along with the Mets club record, Alonso finished 2022 tied with Aaron Judge with 131 RBI to lead MLB. The only other Met to lead MLB in RBI was Howard Johnson in 1991 when he recorded 117.
Another feat Alonso accomplished in 2022 came with his 40th home run. He is the only Met in franchise history to record multiple 40 home run seasons and now holds the first, fourth, and tenth spot on the top ten single-season home run list for the Mets.
To recognize his fantastic season, Alonso was nominated to his second All-Star game as the reserve first baseman. He walked in his only plate appearance and the National League lost 3-2. Alonso also participated in the home run derby during the all-star weekend. After dramatically beating Ronald Acuña Jr. by one home run in the first round, he lost to Julio Rodríguez in the semi-finals to end his reign as the home run derby champion. After the season ended, Alonso finished eighth overall in the NL for MVP. It was the first time that Alonso had received votes for MVP since his rookie season in 2019 when he finished seventh overall.
The most memorable moment, however, arguably came in the playoffs for Alonso. With the Mets tied with the Padres in game two of the wild card series, he blasted a solo home run to record a game-winning RBI and give the Mets a 3-2 lead. Although the Mets eventually lost to the Padres in the wild card round, Alonso slashed .300/.412/.600/1.012 in his first playoff series.
2023 Outlook
Alonso will be 28 at the start of the 2023 season and will enter his fifth year of service time with the Mets. He currently does not have a contract for the upcoming season and will go through the arbitration process before the January 13 deadline. According to Sportrac, Alonso is estimated to receive a one-year, $12.4 million contract.
The 2023 season is bound to be another offensive showcase for Alonso. He has recorded an OPS of at least .863 and a slugging percentage over .500 in every full season. Since his debut in 2019, Alonso has also launched an MLB-leading 146 home runs. Perhaps the Mets should look into an extension this offseason?
The Mets will rely heavily on Alonso next season as well. Last season, when the Mets won, Alonso slashed .326/.406/.628/1.034 and drove in 112 runs. In losses, Alonso slashed .174/.219/.319/.538 and only drove in 12 runs.
