NEW YORK -- Upon losing in the first round of last year’s Home Run Derby, Pete Alonso called the Derby “an event that I’ve really admired since I was a kid,” adding: “There’s definitely more in there for sure.”
But when Major League Baseball asked Alonso to compete in this year’s event, for the first time in his career, he declined. Instead, Alonso will bask in an off-day before he, Edwin Díaz and Francisco Lindor represent the Mets at the All-Star Game on July 15.
2025 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard
• A first-of-its kind end to All-Star Game
• 8 best moments | Key stats and facts | Team-by-team breakdown
• Wielding new bat, Schwarber launches 3 clutch HRs to win MVP honors
• Atlanta, All-Stars Stand Up to Cancer at Midsummer Classic
• All-Stars show off their different styles at Red Carpet Show
• All-Star closer's Persian cat steals the show on her personal red carPET
MLB on Sunday named Alonso a National League reserve and Díaz a member of the pitching staff. Lindor had previously made the team via fan voting.
“I want to fully be able to enjoy the festivities,” Alonso said of his decision not to participate in the Derby. “That’s really what it boils down to.
“As fun as it is, for me, it’s not necessarily the work or the swings. It’s more the adrenaline spikes up and down. So having that Monday off … I’m really excited to have those days off.”
The one workday for Alonso will be Tuesday, when the All-Star Game takes place at Truist Park in Atlanta. He and Díaz were named to the NL team via player vote, giving the Mets three All-Stars for the first time since 2022.
Juan Soto was a notable snub in the NL outfield despite finishing fifth in fan voting. He could still make the team if another outfielder drops, but as of right now, Soto will miss the game for the first time since 2019.
Alonso will be making his fifth All-Star appearance in seven years, after re-signing with the Mets on a two-year, $54 million contract with an opt-out after this season. It’s been a streaky first year of that deal for Alonso, but a successful one overall. His 20 homers put him on pace for his fifth season of 35 or more, while his 73 RBIs give him a realistic chance to break his own franchise record of 131.
In all four of his previous All-Star campaigns, Alonso participated in the Home Run Derby, winning it in 2019 and 2021.
“I just want to be in the best possible position to help this team win in the second half,” Alonso said. “I feel like I’m in a groove with certain things. I definitely will do [the Derby] again. It doesn’t mean no forever. If an All-Star Game happens at Citi Field or at another park that I love to hit at, like Fenway or Wrigley, for sure.
“I’m not necessarily called this year to do it. I love the event. It’s a sick event. I just didn’t really feel motivated to do it this year. I just figured I’d take a break, use the break as recovery and get back at it, help the team win in the second half.”
Díaz, 31, didn’t look much like an All-Star when he produced a 5.59 ERA over his first 10 appearances amid flagging fastball velocity. But he found his prime form in late April and hasn’t looked back, allowing just one earned run in 25 1/3 innings since that time. Díaz leads the National League in strikeout rate among pitchers with at least 35 innings.
This is Díaz’s third career All-Star nod. He previously made the American League team with the Mariners in 2018 and the NL team in 2022, but not since undergoing surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon in his knee in March 2023.
“That’s a personal achievement,” Díaz said. “Always as a player, you want to be an All-Star. So I’m glad to represent the Mets this year in the All-Star Game.”
Alonso and Díaz will join Lindor, who bested Mookie Betts of the Dodgers in the fan vote to become the NL starter at shortstop. Lindor will be making his first career All-Star start and his first nod as a Met, following four AL appearances with the Guardians from 2016-19. While Lindor’s numbers have fallen off a bit from last year’s MVP-caliber season, he still has 17 homers and 14 stolen bases and ranks near the NL leaders in WAR.
“The fans voted for me, which I appreciated,” he said. “I’ve got nothing but respect and love. But now, [Alonso and Díaz] got in through their peers. That’s very special as well.”
As for Soto, he missed out on an All-Star nod despite leading NL outfielders in on-base percentage and runs scored, while ranking fourth in homers, seventh in slugging and ninth in RBIs.