Pete Alonso set the Mets’ single-season RBI record early in Sunday’s blowout win in Oakland, then added three more for good measure to finish the day at 128, tying him with cross-town rival Aaron Judge for the MLB overall lead.
Alonso broke the record on his 39th homer of the season, which is now tied for fifth on the Mets’ single-season list with Darryl Strawberry’s two 39-dinger seasons (1987 and 1988), and he’s now up to a .270/.349/.519 slash line on the season, on the verge of career-bests in the former two categories.
And yet, the ever-humble Polar Bear gives most of the credit to everyone else.
“It’s a huge honor, but I wouldn’t be able to be in this position without my teammates,” Alonso said after the game. “All year they’ve been putting together unbelievable at-bats. I feel honored and blessed to have the record, but without them, I wouldn’t be able to get it done. I’m just thankful and appreciative to have a bunch of guys in front of me who have put together just awesome at-bats every single day; it’s great to be a part of.”
Related
Alonso’s 4-for-5 day with a double, a homer, five RBI, and three runs scored finished off a scorching hot road trip where the Polar Bear went 8-for-23 (.348) with four homers, 13 RBI, and three walks in six games in Milwaukee and Oakland.
“He’s been doing things like this all year, and it’s been an honor to have a good seat to watch him,” manager Buck Showalter said. “These guys are never satisfied.”
“I just feel good, like I’m capitalizing on stuff in the zone, and trying to win,” Alonso added.
It’s been a treat for those on the mound, too, who have gotten offense from Alonso all season on the way to 97 wins, a playoff berth, and currently, a 1.5-game lead in the NL East.
"Competing against him on the other side, I’ve seen him mature and grow into this player he is now,” Scherzer said. “He's just doing so much for our ball club, on and off the field. He plays with so much heart, and that’s the thing I think a lot of people probably don’t recognize about him. He's been a treat to have as a teammate."
Even though it’s been a treat, in a way, Scherzer wishes he still got to face the Polar Bear?
"It’s fun, but I enjoy facing the best,” Scherzer said. “I enjoyed pitching to Pete and trying to get him out. As good as he's been this year, I enjoy facing the best. Part of me actually wants to face him."
That other part of Scherzer surely agrees with the rest of the Mets’ staff, roster, and fan base in being glad Alonso is on their side – and Alonso himself is glad that it’s the RBI record he now holds.
“RBIs mean a lot because it’s a run scoring competition. Hits are great for a personal stat, but the goal of the game is to score more runs than the other team,” Alonso said. “Any stat can be manipulated with significance, and there’s a lot of stuff you really can’t see, like quality of at-bats, so stats are great but don’t tell the whole story.”
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
Listen live to WFAN via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker
Follow WFAN on Social Media:
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch