Pete Alonso (29, New York Mets) conquered the long-awaited 40 home run milestone in the season.
Alonso started as the fourth hitter and first baseman in the home game against the Seattle Mariners held at Citi Field, New York, USA on the 4th (Korean time), and led the team to a 6-3 victory with 3 hits in 4 at-bats (2 home runs) and 4 RBIs. led.
It was close to a one-man show. Alonso scored an RBI with a timely hit to right-center in the bottom of the first inning with 2 outs and 1st base when the game was tied 0-0. Then, in the bottom of the third inning with a 2-0 lead and no outs on first base, he hit his 40th home run of the season with a line drive over the left fence. He caught Seattle right-hand pitcher George Kirby's curveball on the fourth pitch and turned it into a long hit with a distance of 385 feet (117.3 m). Alonso is the third player to exceed 40 home runs this season, following Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels) and Matt Olson (Atlanta Braves, 44). Kyle Schwarber (Philadelphia Phillies, 39) and Mookie Betts (LA Dodgers, 38) were also close to 40 home runs, but Alonso's bat hit hard first.
Alonso, who debuted in 해외축구무료 the big league in 2019, hit 40 home runs for the third season of his career, following 2019 (53 home runs) and 2022 (40 home runs). MLB.com, the official website of the Major League Baseball (MLB), said, 'The only big leaguers who hit 40 home runs three times in his first five seasons were Ralph Kiner, Eddie Matthews, Albert Pujols, and Lyin Howard. Two of them click here (Kiner and Matthews) have entered the Hall of Fame (HOF), and the third player (Pujols) will soon be inducted,' he said, highlighting Alonso's record.
Alonso's bet did not stop in the 7th inning. He hit Seattle right-hander Trent Thornton's third pitch four-seam fastball in the 7th inning, trailing 5-3, with one out and no runners, and it went over the left-center fence. The flying distance was measured at 397 feet (121m). The 187th home run of his personal career. According to MLB.com, 'Alonso is ranked 5th in the Mets' all-time home runs, following Daryl Strawberry (252), David Wright, Mike Piazza, and Howard Johnson. If Alonso stays in Flushing (Mets) long-term, it is almost certain that he will become the Mets' all-time home run king by early 2025,' he predicted.
Alonso joined the Mets with the 64th overall pick in the second round of the 2016 rookie draft. He exploded with 53 home runs (120 RBI) in 2019, breaking the record for most home runs (52) in a season by an MLB rookie achieved by Aaron Judge (New York Yankees) in 2017, and was named NL Rookie of the Year. That year, he broke the record of 39 home runs by an NL rookie set by Cody Bellinger (then of the LA Dodgers) in 2017, and also surpassed the Mets record of 41 in a single season held by Todd Hundley in 1996 and Carlos Beltran in 2006. His career records are a batting average of 0.254, 187 home runs, and 480 RBI.