MILWAUKEE -- Pound for pound, Pete Alonso is the most prolific home run hitter in Mets history. He now has a share of the franchise record to prove it.
Alonso hit his 252nd career homer early in New York’s 7-4 loss vs. Milwaukee at American Family Field on Saturday, leading off the second inning by crushing Tobias Myers’ 1-2 four-seamer a Statcast-projected 413 feet to left-center field. The long ball matched Darryl Strawberry for the most in Mets history, though Alonso accomplished the feat in just 963 games, 146 fewer than Strawberry.
After Alonso trotted around the bases, he was congratulated by his teammates and coaching staff. Despite New York’s recent struggles, for a player as beloved as Alonso is in the stands and in the clubhouse, it was a moment worth celebrating.
“We're talking about a mark that is not easy to get to, especially with how many great players have put on this uniform,” said Carlos Mendoza, Alonso’s manager the last two seasons. “For Pete to be able to tie it, it's something special for him and for all of us, and we're proud of him.”
“He's one of the best power hitters in this organization -- well, the best one -- and in the game as well,” said Francisco Lindor, Alonso’s teammate since 2021. “What he does day in and day out, it's impressive. I'm super proud of him, and I'm glad he's my teammate and I got to [witness] history.”
The record-tying shot has been seven seasons in the making.
More than a fifth of Alonso’s homers came during his 2019 NL Rookie of the Year campaign, which remains one of the most prolific by a Mets hitter. That summer, Alonso bashed a Major League rookie record (and Mets single-season franchise record) 53 homers, while also earning the first of his two Home Run Derby victories.
He hit 16 more during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, on his way to becoming one of the game’s most consistent sluggers. From 2021-24, Alonso hit between 34 and 46 homers every year, mashing 157 in total during those seasons. Along the way, he won another Home Run Derby while making near-annual trips to the All-Star Game.
Since Alonso debuted with New York on March 28, 2019, only the Yankees’ Aaron Judge and the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber have slugged more home runs.
“His consistency is incredible,” Lindor said. “I don't think he believes he's a power hitter. He's somebody who wants to go gap to gap and take his base hits the other way, and that's what makes him who he is.”
The most impactful homer of Alonso’s career, however, did not count toward his regular-season total (though it did happen in the same ballpark as his record-tying blast). With the Mets down to their final two outs in Game 3 of last year’s Wild Card Series against the Brewers, Alonso hit a go-ahead three-run homer off closer Devin Williams to give his team new life. They wound up making it to within two games of the National League pennant.
After the season, Alonso became a free agent for the first time. For much of the winter, it seemed he might not return. But in late January, with Spring Training fast approaching, Alonso re-signed on a two-year, $54 million contract that includes an opt-out after 2025.
Shortly after inking that deal, Alonso cited Strawberry’s record as a motivating factor for him.
“Of course I’ve given it thought,” he said. “To be a part of this franchise in that way, that’d be really special.”
As far as franchise home run marks go, the Mets’ record of 252 is not particularly steep. Only the Diamondbacks and Padres have lower totals.
Yet Strawberry’s record held for 37 years because New York has rarely employed sluggers like him. For the first quarter-century of their existence, the Mets either had bad teams or rosters heavily skewed toward pitching. For many years, light-hitting Ed Kranepool held the franchise home run record. When Strawberry showed up in 1983, he needed just five-plus seasons to claim it for his own.
But Strawberry didn’t stick around long-term. Neither did the top Mets sluggers to follow -- most notably Mike Piazza and Carlos Beltrán, who both easily cleared 252 career homers but spent much of their careers playing elsewhere.
The most credible threat to Strawberry’s record was David Wright, who bashed 222 homers over his first 10 seasons before back, neck and shoulder injuries began consuming his career. Wright hit just 20 more to finish 10 shy of Strawberry.
Had Alonso departed via free agency, he would have fallen into a similar bucket. Instead, he not only stuck around long enough to match one of the franchise’s greatest home run hitters, but he proved uncommonly durable along the way. Last year, Alonso set the Mets’ mark for consecutive games played. He hasn’t missed one since.
As for the record-breaking home run, it’s something Strawberry had been looking forward to seeing.
“I don’t want my record to stand,” the Mets legend said in June. “I’m not a baseball player no more. I’m a man outside of baseball. This is for these guys. You’re happy when you see that, when you see a guy return after having so much he had to go through, and now he puts it all together. That’s fun.”
It’s now a matter of when, not if, Alonso will hit No. 253 -- and the Mets are all ready to see it happen.
“Obviously, played against Pete for a while on the other side,” said Ryan Helsley, Alonso’s teammate only since July 30, “and to be his teammate now and see him chase the record is pretty special. We're all pulling for him.”
“Everyone here was happy for him,” Lindor said. “It's something that I know he doesn't talk about much, but I'm sure he wanted it. And for him to accomplish that, it's a good thing. I'm sure he's going to hit one here tomorrow or the next day and be the sole leader of the franchise for home runs.”
Before Sunday’s series finale in Milwaukee, Alonso was asked if, back in Spring Training 2019, he would have believed it had someone told him he would one day become the franchise’s home run leader.
“In a way, I feel like, if the circumstances allowed me to, I would have,” responded Alonso, who was not available to comment postgame Saturday due to a personal situation. “Because for me, it's all about staying healthy and playing as many games as possible and performing and doing my part to help the team win. … For me, I've been here seven years, and with my game and my skill set, I think if you were telling me that [back then], I'd be like, 'OK, yeah, sweet. Checks out. If I stay healthy and perform, I can for sure do that.’”
Just don’t think taking sole possession of the record is something he’s actively worrying about.
“When it comes, it comes,” Alonso said. “It's really special, but for me, I'm just trying to help the team win and do my part. The power aspect is my game, and for me, driving guys in, that's what I do.”