New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso was born to hit home runs.
Not only has he won two Home Run Derbies, but he also hit 53 homers in his debut season in 2019 and hasn’t stopped showing off his power ever since.
With another home run in the Mets’ 7-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, the first baseman reached 44 for the season.
He has a slight shot to hit 50 for the second time in his career.
Tuesday’s dinger helped him reach 190 for his career, an incredible total if we consider he has only been an MLB active player for five seasons and one of them was 60 games long.
Historic power for Polar Pete 💪 pic.twitter.com/q9YgWkEHdk
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 13, 2023
Alonso’s power has been so impressive that only two players have hit more homers through their first five seasons in MLB: Albert Pujols (201) and Ralph Kiner (215).
With his 190, Alonso is tied with Atlanta Braves legend Eddie Mathews.
He still has some games to catch Pujols, but he is too far ahead and will likely fall short.
Still, it’s clear Alonso can change any game with his power.
Batting average is another story: in fact, he is slashing .224/.329/.531.
Still, even despite the lack of consistent contact, Alonso has managed to drive in 105 runs as of Wednesday.
He has become a fan favorite in New York but that hasn’t stopped ongoing trade rumors surrounding him.
He will be a free agent after 2024, so the Mets would like to either cash in on him via trade in the offseason, or extend him to a long-term contract.
So far, talks haven’t advanced much.
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