SAN FRANCISCO — Pete Alonso’s monster May has thrust his name into the early National League MVP discussion.
The Mets have never had a player win the award, and if that drought is going to conclude in 2022 the best bet would be on the team’s slugging first baseman.
Alonso entered Tuesday night’s game at Oracle Park on a runs-producing tear. The most conspicuous numbers were his 11 homers (tied for first in the NL) and 40 RBIs (first in the NL). Overall he owned a .326/.396/.616 slash line in May with seven homers, after a tepid start.
“It doesn’t surprise us at all what Pete is doing,” J.D. Davis said after watching Alonso smash a three-run homer Monday night. “It was just a matter of time. He went through a little bit of a stretch, I think a week or two ago and … once you find a couple of barrels you kind of get in sync with your body. He starts getting into his legs.
“It’s cool, vintage Pete. He’s getting locked in, so it’s going to be fun to watch him get things going.”
The early MVP talk is a discussion Alonso would prefer to avoid, with team goals more a subject to his liking.
“It’s a great individual accolade and it would be a huge honor if it happens,” Alonso said. “The biggest thing is I want to be the best version of myself so I can help get this team a division championship so we can go to the playoffs and compete for the World Series, and that is the ultimate goal. If I do my part and work hard and continue to be locked in and stay focused on my plan I feel like I can help this team win.”
Bernard Gilkey in 1996 is the only other player in Mets history to have reached 40 RBIs in the team’s first 44 games of the season. Alonso’s RBIs have come in bunches, with 11 in the previous six games entering Tuesday. Included was the walk-off homer he hit Thursday in the 10th inning to beat the Cardinals.
Jeff McNeil was the Mets’ best offensive player into mid-May, but lately has been eclipsed by Alonso, through no fault of his own.
“What he is doing is special,” McNeil said. “It’s fun to see him take at-bats every single night. Putting together great ABs, hitting the ball hard and just driving in a ton of runs for this team. He’s been pretty amazing. I have seen it my whole career watching him come up, so nothing new to me and continue to do it for a long time.”