Pete Alonso is having a career season, marking a remarkable turnaround from a frustrating 2023. Last season, he failed often in clutch spots, swinging for the fences. This year, he is displaying significant plate discipline. He put that on full display in a dominating performance, propelling Sunday’s Mets 13-5 win and a series sweep over the Colorado Rockies.
Alonso hit .240 with 34 home runs and 88 runs batted in. He is a slugger who is expected to top 40 homers and 100 RBIs; he called it his worst season. The 2024 struggles drove the offseason signing drama between New York and Alonso. Owner Steve Cohen called the negotiations “exhausting.”
Alonso didn’t resign with the Mets until February and had reportedly been close to joining the Toronto Blue Jays at one point. There wasn’t a strong outside push by teams to take him away. The door was eventually opened for a return to New York.
Juan Soto has drawn considerable scrutiny due to his massive contract and underwhelming performance. Much of the criticism is warranted, but there have been positive developments. His signing has provided its biggest dividend by the impact it has had on Alonso.
Soto is a patient hitter, perhaps at times too much so. Alonso needed to learn better pitch selection to acquire a greater hitting plateau. Soto’s presence has taken pressure off Alonso, as he no longer needs to be the lineup’s focal point. He has also benefited from watching Soto work.
Alonso excelled throughout April, and it was no coincidence that it came with Soto’s presence. Alonso hit .362 with 34 hits, 11 doubles, six HRs, and 24 RBI, winning NL Player of the Month. It was likely the best all-around month of his career.
Baseball is a humbling game, so a cool-off should have been anticipated for Alonso. He experienced a 16-game slump, going 11 for 63 with zero home runs and five runs batted in. He is the lifeblood of the Mets’ offense, and they sank with him, averaging slightly under three runs a game.
Alonso’s slumps in the past extended for significant chunks of the season, often months. He stopped his May slump after two weeks in a huge home series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit a power blast in the first inning of the series finale, snapping his homerless streak and helping New York to the victory. Alonso’s fire ignites his teammates and the fanbase; the energy at Citi Field was electric.
Alonso came up huge in the Mets’ biggest moment of the season. Since then, he has been unstoppable. He is hitting .340 with a 1.228 on-base plus slugging percentage over the last two weeks, with seven homers and 21 RBI. Since the beginning of June, a span of eight games, he has gotten even hotter with a .382 average, six home runs, and 18 runs batted in.
Alonso tore up Dodgers pitching in Los Angeles, going 7 for 16 with three HRs and nine RBI. He was at the forefront of helping the Mets gain a split in the hard-fought road series against New York’s measuring stick.
Excellence against the Dodgers ensured good times for Alonso in the low-altitude air of Coors Field. He knocked in two runs in the first game. He collected hits and scored in the first two contests, but he saved his best for the series finale.
The Mets had a chance to gain a series and season sweep of the Rockies; Alonso ensured that they would. He blasted a 416-foot homer over left center in the third, knocking in two runs. He clubbed a 372-foot power jack over left field in the eighth, scoring two. He ended his afternoon 3 for 6 with three runs scored, four runs batted in, and two cannon shots. Great hitting is contagious, and more New York players joined in the festivities.
Jeff McNeil, after a slow start off the injured list, has gotten going. He is hitting .269 with a .942 OPS over the last two weeks, with four HRs and 11 RBI. He saved his best for Sunday. He smacked a 411-foot moon shot over right center in the second, then added a 404-foot blast over right field in the fourth, giving him a double power blast dip just like Alonso.
The Mets ended their afternoon with six home runs as Brett Baty went yard in the seventh and Francisco Alvarez followed in the ninth, the last of his three hits. Other bats also chipped in with big days.
Soto reached base every time at bat, collecting three hits and three walks while scoring three times. Ronny Mauricio followed an excellent Saturday, where he hit his first 2025 homer by going 2 for 3 with two runs scored. A confident and locked-in Alonso raises all around him.
Alonso moved past New York legend David Wright for second place on the all-time franchise HR list. He needs 10 more home runs to pass Mets’ icon Darryl Strawberry for the top mark. He has a chance to break many more franchise records, but that requires him to stay on for the long term.
Alonso can opt out after this season; that is a certainty with the numbers he is putting up. He is on pace to surpass 40 home runs and go well beyond 100 RBI, with a batting average pushing .300 and an OPS of 1.000. He will stand high in the MVP race, offering many more compelling reasons for owner Steve Cohen to get him signed to an extension.
Alonso is one of those rare players who are made for New York. He has an unbreakable bond with the fan base through his passion, commitment, and love of the Big Apple. The Mets haven’t had many homegrown players who became big stars and stayed in Queens; Wright is one of those rare few. Alonso can become another.
Alonso and Cohen had a difficult offseason dance that should not be repeated. Last offseason, it looked like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would likely be available in the next one, plus Alonso came off a down season. It made sense for Cohen and General Manager David Stearns to be cautious.
Alonso is now looking like he will have a career season that could garner him the MVP; he almost certainly will pass Strawberry for the Mets’ home run record. Guerrero Jr. has signed a lengthy extension with the Blue Jays; there are no first basemen on the horizon comparable to Alonso who figure to be available.
Cohen and Stearns should offer an extension that will keep him from opting out. Alonso wants to stay; he’s perfect for Queens, and he can cement a legacy truly unlike anyone else. Get it done!
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