With free agency looming at the conclusion of the Mets’ season, Mets top star stepped up to the plate in the ninth inning of an elimination game, his team trailing 2-0. He faced one of the top closers in baseball, Devin Williams of the Brewers.
A double play would not only end the game but also cap his postseason performance at 1-for-9, possibly marking the end of his Mets career before signing a new contract elsewhere. A strikeout could have been just as damaging, likely sealing the team’s fate. But instead, the “Polar Bear” dug in, gripping the bat, and changed everything.
That moment stands as one of the most significant swings in MLB playoff history. Alonso, with his three-run home run off Devin Williams, became the first player in MLB history to hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth inning or later in a winner-take-all game with his team behind.
Who could blame Alonso and his Mets teammates? After Grimace threw out the first pitch at Citi Field in June, the team went on a hot streak, with everyone rallying around the goofy energy. Winning made everything feel fun and worthwhile.
The Mets have seen plenty of tough times during Alonso’s tenure. This year marks only the second time they’ve made the playoffs in his six-year career. The other time, they squandered a 10-game lead in the NL East and had to settle for the Wild Card Series, ultimately losing in three games to the Padres.
Just this week, the Mets faced elimination in the regular season and survived. Then, they were pushed to the brink in the Wild Card Series, just two outs from going home—until Alonso’s massive home run changed everything.
We’ve seen countless Alonso home runs before. He’s hit 226 in the regular season, including a franchise-record 53 in his rookie year. In fact, he holds three of the top six home run seasons in Mets history, alongside Carlos Beltrán, Todd Hundley, and Hall of Famer Mike Piazza.
And let’s not forget his Home Run Derby heroics. Alonso has won two Derbies and participated in three others, adding to his legacy as one of the most prolific sluggers in Mets history.
It’s fair to say that while Pete Alonso excels in other areas, he’s ultimately defined by his home run power. That’s how most people recognize him. The first time I spoke with him—at the 2019 All-Star Game during his rookie season—I asked if he knew the Mets’ home run record. Not only did he know it off the top of his head, but he also confidently said he intended to break it that season. And he did.
While many sluggers try to distance themselves from being labeled as purely home run hitters—often saying, “I’m not a home run hitter”—Alonso has never shied away from embracing his greatest strength. After all, how many players participate in five Home Run Derbies?
Through all the towering home runs we’ve witnessed in ballparks across the country, Thursday night’s home run in Milwaukee stands as the defining moment of his career so far.
“It’s just really special,” Alonso said afterward in the clubhouse (via MLB.com). “I’m just so happy to come through for the team right there. It’s something you practice in the backyard as a kid… words can’t explain it.”
With the Mets advancing to the NLDS, there’s still plenty of time for Alonso to build on this legacy. He and his teammates are eyeing a World Series ring, and Alonso has expressed his desire to remain with the Mets rather than sign elsewhere. Only time will tell.
For now, that swing represents the biggest moment of Alonso’s career and could very well go down as a signature moment in Mets history.
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