“It’s outta here! Pete Alonso stands alone! The Polar Bear is on his own private iceberg.”
Mets fans had a ton to cheer about on Tuesday night in Queens.
The team dominated a division rival (even a struggling one) behind six home runs. None was likely bigger than the two-run blast hit into the right-center field bullpen in the third inning by Pete Alonso.
Alonso was greeted at home plate by Brandon Nimmo, who singled to get on base ahead of him, and Jeff McNeil, who was hitting behind him — the two teammates Alonso has played with the longest — and the home crowd erupted. The rest of the Mets dugout emptied as the ovation continued. Alonso made his way back into the dugout, but had to come out again to tip his cap for a curtain call.
He was greeted with another ovation when the top of the next inning began and he took the field at first base.
The shot made Alonso the Mets’ new franchise leader.
Three innings later, Alonso hit a solo homer to center — giving him 28 this year and 254 for his career. Once again, the Mets’ faithful would insist on a curtain call.
Darryl Strawberry (252) and David Wright (242) are second and third, now, on the Mets’ all-time list.
Arizona (Luis Gonzalez, 253) and San Diego (Manny Machado, 187) are the only franchises with lower record totals. Tampa Bay would be next (Evan Longoria, 261) for the Mets to surpass as a franchise, as Alonso adds to his total.
Alonso also joins Mike Trout (Angels, 398), Giancarlo Stanton (Marlins, 267), and Machado as active players who are franchise leaders.
All of Tuesday night’s fanfare and celebration for Pete Alonso — not to mention the two giveaway promotions already planned for Thursday (replica jerseys) and August 29 (HR record t-shirts) — was warranted. Not only is he now the club’s all-time home run champion, but he’s been one of their lone bright spots this season. Alonso’s numbers are some of his best since his rookie season, with a .267/.352/.528 (146 OPS+) line and 30 doubles (one shy of his career-high). He’s about to surpass the 100 RBI mark for the fourth time. His exit velocity (93.3 mph) is more than 2 mph better than his career-best.
Still, a major question looms over the club’s decision-makers: How does Alonso fit into the team’s future?
The question probably should have been answered last offseason.
Alonso entered free agency seeking a long-term deal. It looked like he might get one, too, at various points (from the Blue Jays and Giants) before finally “settling” on a two-year, $54 million contract to return to the Mets. The deal includes an opt-out clause that will allow him to test the open market again this winter, which he’s expected to exercise.
Still, Alonso could be one of the most appealing hitters available this winter. R.J. Anderson at CBS Sports recently ranked the pending free agents with two months left in the season. Anderson listed Alonso sixth (the fifth-best bat) and suggests that he might have to “settle” for a deal between $27 to 30 million a year. At least two of the players ranked ahead of him (Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman) might not even reach the open market if their teams can work out extensions first.
It’s not unreasonable to think that Alonso could have options if/when he reaches the open market, but there’s no reason the Mets can’t lock him up first themselves.
The team has shown it is not afraid of long-term deals that extend into the last years of a player’s career. Juan Soto’s contract (signed last offseason) has 14 years remaining on it and will take him past his 40th birthday. Francisco Lindor has six years left (at more than $32 million a year). Brandon Nimmo has five (at $20.25 million/year). Both will be 37 when their contracts conclude.
History suggests that right-handed first basemen over the age of 30 (Alonso will be 31 in December) don’t tend to age well. Their production at the plate, specifically, declines quickly.
He hopes to play until he’s 40, as he told Deesha Thosar at FOX Sports following Tuesday’s game.
Alonso is adored in New York by fans, teammates, and coaches. He’s consistent, puts forth an honest effort daily, and players suggest he still comes to the park and prepares for games like he did during his rookie season. There is a lot of sentiment wanting Alonso to be with the Mets for life.
Can he play for nine more seasons? Nobody knows. There’s no immediate necessity to give Alonso a contract that will take him completely until he reaches the age of 40. The Mets could quite easily work out a five or six-year deal that would both give Alonso the long-term security he seeks and not hinder the club down the road. He’s earning $30 million this season (the high end of the previously suggested market value, which already makes him the highest-paid first baseman in the sport).
That would put a five-year deal at $150 million. Maybe a sixth-year option brings it to $180 million. He and Lindor can either re-sign or potentially retire together.
There is absolutely no reason that the sport’s richest owner can’t approve such a deal to retain a player who could be the best in franchise history.
Murakami hits a walk-off in front of MLB scouts
Interest (and wild speculation) in Munetaka Murakami’s future only continues to grow. While the 25-year-old is still primarily playing third base with the NPB’s Yakult Swallows, the general belief is that he’ll end up needing to move to first base when he ends up arriving in the major leagues.
After missing the first half of the season to injury, Murakami is now hitting .260/.327/.480 with three homers through 55 PA over 13 games. He hit a pivotal two-run walk-off homer on Tuesday — reportedly with multiple MLB scouts, including Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, in attendance.
Murakami is expected to be posted by the Swallows this offseason.
Speculation has long connected Murakami’s potential arrival in MLB to two likely landing spots: Los Angeles (given all the Japanese talent already on the roster who already know Murakami from playing in the World Baseball Classic) and New York (because the Yankees have needed a big bat at third base for years). Neither is a certainty. The Dodgers may not aggressively pursue Murakami if he’s limited to first base (he won’t supplant Freddie Freeman and using him at DH won’t happen with Shohei Ohtani on the roster). The Yankees would seem to have several problems that will need to be addressed beyond adding one corner infield bat.
Elsewhere, around the sport …
Fernando Rodney spent 17 seasons in the majors, last appearing in 2019. He’s since pitched in independent leagues, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and now Canada. Rodney is 48 and still pitching effectively — third in the league in saves and leading relievers with a 14.3 K/9. The longtime veteran right-hander provided an interesting interview with theScore’s Simon Sharkey-Gotlieb.
The Rockies enter play on Wednesday with a team ERA of 6.01. Only two teams since 1940 have finished a season with an ERA above 6 (the 1996 Tigers, 6.38, and 1999 Rockies, 6.01).