New York Mets mock Athletics as they win over…News
Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is willing to see seven or eight pitches in an at-bat. But to be honest, he’d rather not.
“Ultimately, I don’t want it to get to that much,” Alonso said. “I’d rather just hit it hard when I get the opportunity.”
Alonso had to wait longer than usual to get those opportunities during Friday night’s 7-6 winover the Athletics, but he sure made them count.
With an RBI double and a solo home run that both came late in the count, Alonso proved his willingness to be patient as he continued a scorching start to the season.
The slugger went 3-for-3 and drove in a key insurance run with a sac fly, running his average up to .378 — the best in the National League and the second best in the Majors. His .778 slugging percentage and 1.260 OPS are both tops in MLB.
After re-signing with New York on a two-year, $54 million deal in the offseason, Alonso has been worth every penny and then some in the first 13 games of 2025. His sizzling start evokes memories of his 2019 Rookie of the Year campaign, when he hit .370 with six homers and a 1.334 OPS in his first 13 games. Alonso finished that season with an MLB-best 53 home runs.
Particularly when other Mets regulars like Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos haven’t been their best at the plate, Alonso’s production has been crucial for a Mets team that went to bed Friday night in West Sacramento in first place in the NL East.
“I’m glad I have him,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I’m glad he’s with us. He’s off to a great start.”
That last part was true even before Friday, when Alonso saw a total of 25 pitches in his five plate appearances. After a first-inning single and being hit by a pitch in the third, he brought in runs in each of his next three times up. That included a double on the eighth pitch of his at-bat against A’s starter JP Sears in the fifth inning and a homer on the seventh offering from reliever José Leclerc in the eighth.
It wasn’t just Alonso: Mets hitters saw 210 pitches from A’s hurlers, including 101 from Sears in four-plus innings. New York averaged 4.77 pitches seen per plate appearance, the third-highest rate of any team in a game this season.
“I thought we battled,” Mendoza said. “I thought we controlled the strike zone. We made them work.”
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