Through the highs and lows of a rollercoaster 2019 Mets’ season, one driving force has remained consistent throughout – rookie first baseman, Pete Alonso.
In Wednesday evening’s 8-4 win over the Nationals, Alonso hit his 45th home run of the year to claim sole possession of the Major League lead.
“I feel really, really fortunate,” Alonso said about the feat, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “I’m really happy with how I’ve been performing, and this year’s not over yet. I just need to keep on playing well, capitalizing on good pitches, and keep trying to help this team win.”
The rookie leads the team at the plate, batting .267/.367/.593 with 27 doubles, 45 home runs, and 105 runs batted in. His 5.3 offensive bWAR is ranked fifth in the National League among all qualified hitters.
But along with his personal accomplishments, Alonso has taken on a strong leadership role in New York. He has shown an unwavering determination to win that has won over the hearts of Mets fans, and brought a fighting spirit to a deflated clubhouse.
The 24-year-old was named Rookie of the Month in April after hitting nine home runs with a 1.024 OPS. The Padres’ Chris Paddack, feeling a big slighted after earning a 1.91 ERA for the month, told the Athletic: “Do I wish it was me? Yeah. But the way I look at it is, do you want to be Rookie of the Month or Rookie of the Year? We’ll see, man.”
When preparing to face San Diego in early May, Alonso responded that:”If he was mad about that, there’s five other months. … Also, he said something about winning the Rookie of the Year. That would be nice, but I’m trying to win a World Series,” per Anthony Dicomo of MLB.com
On July 31, he connected with fans through Twitter with his #LFGM message, stating. “Together, let’s be part of history.”
And the rookie has accomplished feats that have altered not only Mets’ record books, but that have etched his name in Major League history.
With his 45th long ball, Alonso is now just seven home runs away from MLB’s rookie record of 52 that Aaron Judge set in 2017. He is currently on pace to tie the record.
The Polar Bear has already crushed his way to the NL rookie record and the Mets’ all-time single-season home run record. He was crowned the Home Run Derby king, is a lock for the National League Rookie of the Year, and now, he could become the first rookie in modern baseball history to finish an MLB season as the sole leader in home runs.
With his leadership on and off the field, New York can look forward to seeing the Polar Bear inspire inspire others to reach personal and team achievements for years to come.
