DENVER -- Nothing in this game is assured. But when Pete Alonso re-signed with the Mets last offseason, one implication was immediately clear: Alonso would have a prime chance to become the franchise’s all-time home run king at some point this summer.
Through two-plus months, he’s right on pace, with only one name still standing above him. On Sunday, Alonso passed David Wright for second on the Mets' all-time list with his 242nd and 243rd career homers in a 13-5 rout of the Rockies. Alonso also passed Darryl Strawberry for the most multi-homer games in Mets history, with 23.
“He did it a lot quicker than I did, that’s for sure,” Wright said last month in anticipation of the milestone homer. “Certainly one of the premier power hitters in baseball. It just seems like every time the ball leaves his bat, it’s got a chance to get out of the ballpark. And it doesn’t even matter what ballpark he’s playing in.”
The home runs were Alonso’s 16th and 17th of this season. He trails Strawberry, the Mets’ all-time home run king, by nine.
“Straw’s not far behind,” Wright said. “Certainly deserving with the power credentials that he’s shown. And he posts. He doesn’t miss games. I think that’s one of the greatest attributes that you can have is a guy that you can pencil into the lineup for 160 games a year."
Jeff McNeil also hit multiple homers for the Mets, and Juan Soto reached base safely six times in the blowout. But it was Alonso who contributed the most historic feat of the afternoon, matching Wright with a two-run shot off Chase Dollander in the third inning. Five innings later, Alonso passed him with another two-run homer against Tyler Kinley.
“It’s really cool,” Alonso said. “I just want to help the team win every single chance I get. My game is driving the ball, doing what I can to score guys and get guys in. For me, it just boils down to doing my part, trying to win every day.”
The significance of Alonso’s achievement, he said, probably won’t settle in until after the year, or at least until after he passes Strawberry. Already, though, Alonso is one of the most prolific power hitters in franchise history. He needed only 912 games to reach 243 homers, compared to 242 for Wright in 1,585 games, and 252 for Strawberry in 1,109 games.
At this point, Alonso has been slugging for a while. Bursting onto the scene in 2019 with a Major League rookie-record 53 homers, Alonso has averaged 42 per year in his first five full seasons and is on pace for exactly that many again this year. Alonso also leads the Majors with 61 RBIs and is on pace for 150, which would shatter his own franchise record of 131.
“Pete has been pretty incredible this year,” said longtime friend McNeil. “He’s locked in every single at-bat. A couple home runs tonight. It just seems like in big situations, he’s going to do some damage. I feel like if you miss over the plate with him right now, he’s going to drive the ball over the fence. I just love watching him play.”
As recently as December, these sorts of accolades seemed unlikely to happen for Alonso in New York, as he negotiated with other teams as a free agent and Mets officials showed little aggression in their pursuit of him. But a reunion became inevitable in the new year, and Alonso eventually signed a two-year, $54 million contract with an opt-out after 2025. That made this another platform season for Alonso, who must continue to perform if he wishes to replace that contract with something more lucrative.
So far, so good for Alonso, who now has only Strawberry to pass on the Mets’ all-time homer list. It helps that he’s appeared in every game so far, running his franchise-record consecutive-games streak to 320.
“He’s been here his entire career,” McNeil said. “He set the rookie home run record, and he’s closing in on the Mets record. A lot of greats on that list. I can’t wait to see him on top. I hope it comes soon. I’m not sure how many he is away.”
“Nine,” McNeil was told.
“How many am I away?” the second baseman asked.
“More than nine,” came the answer.
“Okay,” he said, laughing. “Maybe one day.”