Aug 23, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) breaks his bat after striking out against the New York Yankees during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Alonso didn’t have a good road trip.

The Mets are 4-6 in their last 10 after series against the Braves, Phillies, and Yankees. During that stretch, Alonso recorded six hits in 42 plate appearances with one home run and one double. Alonso looked rough at the plate, swinging at pitches he’d typically lay off.

Simply put, Alonso needs a day off.

Alonso prides himself on being an everyday player for this Mets team. He’s appeared in 124 out of 125 games this season and when he’s not playing first base he’s the designated hitter. It’s tough to do and is a testament to his willingness to put the team first. It’s also been a consistent trait since he joined the Mets in 2019.

In 2019, Alonso appeared in 161 games, in 2020 it was 57, and in 2021 it was 152. Safe to say that when baseball season starts, Alonso is a guarantee to be on the field.

But during this recent stretch, Alonso needs a day to mentally reset. Luckily the Mets have an off day today to give him a break following New York playing 14 games in 13 days.

The Mets don’t have an answer right now to give Alonso a full day off. Daniel Vogelbach would be the backup first baseman but he has an injured hamstring. When Alonso was the DH on Saturday, Darin Ruf played first. Not necessarily ideal. Dominic Smith would be the go-to guy but he’s yet to earn a promotion back to the big leagues.

It’s possible or probable the Mets give Mark Vientos time at first base down the stretch to give Alonso some time off. Vientos is as hot as any player in the minor leagues right now. The organization knows he’s not a third baseman – hence why they called up Brett Baty over him – so he’s been playing first base in Triple-A. He even has a .987 fielding percentage at first.

The Mets will likely wait until rosters expand in September to bring up Vientos but there’s no harm in doing it now. New York has one of the easiest schedules remaining in baseball. While Alonso is integral to the Mets’ success, they should be able to maintain their current win pace without him hitting fourth every game over the last month and a half.

The next 10 games for the Mets are all at Citi Field. Theoretically, that should make it easier on Alonso and the rest of the team to not have to travel. Alonso is one of the best hitters in the game and has his stretches like everyone else where he struggles at the plate. Still, he could use an extra day off here and there.