At the plate, the 2023 All-Star Game was a day to forget for the Mets’ slugger Pete Alonso.
After failing to get more of the pitches he wanted to see in the Home Run Derby on Monday night when the two-time winner managed 21 homers in an opening-round defeat, Alonso went down swinging in both of his at-bats to strand two runners on base in the Senior Circuit’s 3-2 win over the American League.
But Alonso made up for the rough day at the dish with a nifty play at first base when Braves third baseman Austin Riley’s snap throw to double up the Blue Jays’ Whit Merrifield at first off a sharp liner from the Athletics’ Brent Rooker required a deft backhand scoop to end the eighth inning.
“I take pride in all facets of my game, running the bases well, playing good defense and hitting the ball,” Alonso said after the win. “It was really nice. Riles made a helluva play over there and I was just happy to scoop ’em and pick him up and get us back in the dugout.”
Despite the hitless night, Alonso said that every All-Star game is “super special” and took pride in the “hard work and determination” it takes to get to his third Midsummer Classic in five big league seasons.
“The atmosphere was spectacular and I had a great time here,” he said.
Of course, part of the atmosphere in Seattle was the crowd urging the Los Angeles Angles pitcher/DH Shohei Ohtani to come to the Mariners when the superstar hits free agency this offseason. And the loud “Come to Seattle” chants were impossible to miss.
“I mean, the fans really like him. He’s hit enough homers and struck enough of the Seattle players out for them to love him. It’s nice, it’s a nice gesture, for sure,” Alonso said. “And, obviously, when the Angels come to town they hate seeing him hit homers and strike their guys out. But I’m sure anyone would love to have Shohei on their team.”
With the festivities over, Alonso, who said before the game that the 4-2 stretch before the break could “springboard us into the second half,” seemed already to have turned his focus to the Mets’ final 72 games of the season.
“I’m gonna take my off days as they come,” Alonso said. “And after these next two days, I’m gonna be ready to hit the grindstone again against the Dodgers. It’s gonna be a great series.”
The first baseman, who smacked 26 home runs and tallied 61 RBI with a .807 OPS in his first 82 games, added he was “excited for the next two off days and then really excited for the second half.”