Pete Alonso has 'gut feeling' Mets future, playoff chances will work out
With the Mets in the midst of a tight National League Wild Card race, each at-bat Pete Alonso takes during this final homestand has a chance to be his last in front of the Citi Field faithful in orange and blue.
The slugger hasn’t quite performed as anyone had hoped he would just months before he’s set to hit free agency for the first time in his career, and it’s led to many questions about his future with the club.
However, if you ask Alonso, he’s confident that this isn’t it for him and the Mets.
He spoke recently with Joel Sherman of the NY Post about the playoff chase and his future and simply said he has a “gut feeling” that things will work out.
When Sherman asked him to clarify whether his positive feelings were for the Mets' playoff chances or his future with the team, the first baseman smiled and said, "Both."
It’s not because talks have been taking place between the two sides, but just how he's feeling.
“I love it here, it’s a really special place,” Alonso said. “We have 12 games left and the biggest thing I want to do is win and I want to contribute to a winning culture, and this group is fantastic.”
The Mets have been looking for Alonso to step up and contribute with MVP candidate Francisco Lindor sidelined, and after he spoke passionately during a team meeting on Monday, he quickly backed things up.
The big man provided the exact type of performance this team has been looking for, cracking a homer en route to a three-hit and five-RBI showing in a second straight win over the Nationals.
"We've seen it before where he can carry a team," Carlos Mendoza said. "For him to go out there and have that type of game, he's that type of hitter because he can do damage and has the ability to drive in runs. It was good for him to say what he did the other day, and he backed it up."
"I wanted to say some things from the heart [in the meeting] because this is a great place and a great city," Alonso said after Tuesday's game. "I’m really fired up because of the situation we put ourselves in.
"Not a lot of people would see us in this position 4-5 months ago. For us to be in this position, it’s a huge testament to every single player that’s here, the coaching staff and the organization."
