Pete Alonso sets record for first-half homers, and projected for more marks
CHICAGO -- Pete Alonso's postgame media session Saturday turned into a trivia game of sorts.
Alonso had earlier set the Nationals League record for most homers before the All-Star break, and tied the Mets rookie mark with his 26th blast in the 10-2 win over the Cubs on Saturday at Wrigley Field. Media members then peppered him with questions about the marks he could set in the near future.
He first was asked whether knew today's homer tied him with Darry Strawberry, who set the Mets' rookie record in 1983. Through social media, he sure did.
A reporter later questioned Alonso if he knew the Mets' single-season record. Alonso, while not 100 percent sure, correctly responded with 41.
Toward the end of the scrum, Alonso received another inquiry on whether he knows what the major league record is. While he was yet again uncertain, Alonso once again answered correctly, noting the 52 homers Aaron Judge hit in 2017.
Those are all records he's putting himself on pace to break later in the year with Alonso now projected to hit 55 homers.
"I really don’t think about it," Alonso said after a 2 for 4 afternoon. "I try to help this team win and that’s all I can do. All I can control is my effort level, preparation and what I do between the lines. Whatever happens, happens. That’s it.”
Alonso has already established himself as one of the premier sluggers in MLB with his monstrous power making him appointment television.
He hits balls out to all parts of the parks, and is taking over New York City like Judge did during that 2017 campaign.
Records are starting to fall while his homers pile up, and it's almost unfathomable to think he's already hit 26 with 85 games still to be played.
One team source noted that the organization would have signed up for a 20-homer season going into the year.
“Te power is unbelievable, the ability to hit is unbelievable," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. "He’s doing it all. His defense has been tremendous. The balls he picks sometimes are unbelievable. He’s unbelievable."
Alonso had a solid approach at the plate and it’s allowed him to hit homers like the one he did Saturday.
The slugger, batting second, battled Quintana to a 3-2 count in the first, and Quintana spun a 76-mph curveball to the low and outside corner.
Alonso noticed during an 0-for-4 Friday that the Cubs kept throwing him backdoor curveballs and sliders, and he picked up on that trend against Quintana.
Alonso is so strong that he managed to still find a way to drive that pitch to right-center, and give the Mets an immediate 1-0 lead.
That homer galvanized the Mets with Quintana being tagged for nine runs in just 4.1 innings. Todd Frazier and Wilson Ramos also homered off the southpaw, and the Mets won consecutive games at Wrigley Field since 2002.
"Thankfully I get a pitch that was up enough for me to do damage with," Alonso said. "I was trying to make good contact with two strikes and left it up a little bit and just enough and the ball carried for me. Stay right-center and stay right on it.”
Alonso already has two homers in this series, and has a shot to break Strawberry's record Sunday against Cubs lefty Cole Hamels. Alonso left Wrigley Field on Saturday with his record-tying ball since a fan actually threw it back onto the field.
Even if it doesn't come Sunday, Alonso should hit another blast before the break. It seems would be a slam dunk for Alonso to appear in the Home Run Derby, but he said Saturday morning that MLB has not asked him yet.
Alonso has made it clear he wants to participate in the event.
After the All-Star break, there will be plenty of of focus on the slugger while he tries to set the Mets' single-season record and track down Judge’s MLB record.
"I'm playing well, and I’m really happy with myself," Alonso said. "Need to keep going well and plugging along and playing well every day.”
He added: “Can’t try to hit home runs because every time I try to do I usually get out. I need to concentrate on hitting the ball hard and having good approach.”
