Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
At times it’s hard to believe that Pete Alonso is in just his third season with the Mets. He has become a leader on the team and is one of the more quotable players on the 2021 squad, often front-and-center in the post-game Zoom press conferences. It was on August 18, 2019, that Alonso, in his rookie season, set the first of three home run records in a six-week period.
Alonso was sitting on 39 home runs when he settled into the batter’s box leading off the ninth in Kansas City against Jacob Barnes of the Royals. The Mets were in the midst of a hot streak and had a comfortable 10-5 lead in the game. Alonso ripped an 0-2 pitch deep beyond the left field fence for his 40th home run of the season, breaking the National League rookie record of 39 set in 2017 by Cody Bellinger of the Dodgers.
After the game, Alonso said the following as quoted by Robert Falkoff of MLB.com.
“It’s crazy,” Alonso said. “Coming into camp, I didn’t even know if I was going to make the team or not. To break this record and have a good season, it has been unbelievable.”
“There have been so many Mets greats, it’s hard to believe I am one away from tying that (the club record of 41 home runs in a season). That’s even more mind-boggling. I’m just really grateful and thankful that I’ve had this opportunity.”
Alonso would proceed to break the Mets’ club record for home runs in a single season, set by Todd Hundley in 1996 and tied by Carlos Beltran in 2006, with his 42nd round-tripper on August 27 against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field. The Mets’ first baseman had one more record to break, the major league record for single-season home runs (52) by a rookie, held by Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.
The Tampa native would do just that, when he slugged number 53 of the 2019 season on September 28 at Citi Field against the Atlanta Braves. Alonso finished the 2019 season with a slash line of .260/.358/.583 and a bWAR of 5.4 to go with those 53 dingers. Those numbers were good enough for him to win the 2019 Rookie of the Year award.
Alonso hit 16 home runs in the 60-game 2020 season, which projects to 45 over a full season. So far in 2021, he has 26 home runs (he missed two weeks with a hand injury) and is slashing .250/.334/.490. The third-year first baseman also has an OAA of +3 (after posting a -5 OAA in both 2019 and 2020), showing that his hard work on his defense has paid off.
The 2021 season has taken a bad turn for the Mets, but through it all, Alonso has remained positive (sometimes to the disdain of the fan base). He is a home-grown talent who will provide more thrills to the Citi Field faithful as his career goes on.
