Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

After he launched a three-run walk-off home run in Wednesday’s thrilling victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, Mets’ first baseman Pete Alonso picked up right where he left off on Thursday afternoon. His big day at the plate began in the bottom of the first inning when he drew a pivotal walk against Rays’ hurler Taj Bradley that loaded the bases. Consequently, this walk provoked a run to score as third baseman Brett Baty hit a sharp ground ball to first base that did not allow the Rays to turn a double play. Alonso was stranded on second base as outfielder Tommy Pham struck out in the following at-bat.

Alonso’s next at-bat was where he made his presence known within the game. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Alonso crushed a solo home run to center field that gave the Mets the lead. This long ball had a staggering exit velocity of 113.4 mph while traveling an impressive 446 ft.

The home run also gave him 70 at Citi Field, leaving him one blast behind Lucas Duda for the stadium record.

This was Alonso’s 16th home run of the season, which means he is currently the league leader in that statistic. His third home run in as many days also established Alonso as the National League leader in RBIs as he collected his 37th on Thursday. This contributes to a recent trend in which Alonso’s power has emerged, as he has five home runs in his last 10 games after hitting only one in his previous 14 games. If Alonso can continue to provide this much-needed power for the Mets, they may be able to move forward from their losing ways.

Alonso’s leadership skills were highly evident in his postgame interview with SNY. Despite suffering from an illness, Alonso has continued to stay on the field when the Mets need him the most. He stated, “I’ll always give it 100%. I don’t want me not feeling well to be an excuse for a lack of performance.” This quote sends a powerful message to the organization and the fans, as it shows that he is committed to putting the best product out on the field regardless of outside circumstances. If the team ever desires to name another captain, this is an instance to reflect upon to legitimize Alonso’s candidacy for the position.