Pete Alonso is one home run away from the Mets' all-time record. But why is the number so low?
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 15: Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets hits a three-run home run against the American League during the sixth inning of the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) Credit: Getty Images/Jamie Squire
MILWAUKEE — In the fourth inning of the first game in Mets history, on April 11, 1962, Gil Hodges homered off Larry Jackson of the Cardinals.
Hodges became the Mets’ all-time home run leader. With one.
The progression of that record has slowly passed to where it is now co- owned by Pete Alonso, who tied Darryl Strawberry’s franchise record of 252 on Saturday night.
Other Mets to hold the franchise record in the team’s 63-year history include Frank Thomas, who led the 1962 Mets with 34 homers; Ron Swoboda, who surpassed Thomas’ Mets total of 52 in 1966; Ed Kranepool, who was the first Met to hit 100, and Dave Kingman, who passed Kranepool with his 119th homer as a Met on June 9, 1982.
Strawberry took the lead on May 3, 1988, with his 155th homer as a Met. He wants to see Alonso take over the top spot.
“You’re talking about a record that’s been there for [37] years, that’s a long time, and records are meant to be broken,” Strawberry said this past week at a Somerset Patriots Double-A game, according to the team website. “I think too many players that played professional sports always think their records should stand and no one should break it, and that’s not true. There are going to be players that come along that will break their record and I’m happy for Pete, because he’s a good guy. He’s not one of the bad guys in baseball. He’s a guy that loves playing in New York, and hopefully he’ll achieve it soon.
“It means he’s worked hard, dedicated himself to believing in himself, because you have to. He’s been able to stand up and play in New York in front of the pressure and the expectations, which is very hard to do. I think a lot of times people don’t realize that. And he’s a homegrown player, just like I was, and when you’ve been developed through the organization like young players [are], you want to do well. He’s been able to do that, so very pleased with all of that he’s about to accomplish.”
There are 30 teams in Major League Baseball. The Mets have the third-lowest home run total by their all-time leader, ahead of only the Arizona Diamondbacks, who began play in 1998, and the San Diego Padres, who came into existence in 1969.
Arizona’s top home run hitter was Luis Gonzalez, who had 224 for the franchise. San Diego is led by Manny Machado, who had 187 for the Padres going into Saturday. Machado is one of two active players who are their franchise’s sole home run leader. The other is Mike Trout of the Angels, who had 398 going into Saturday. Alonso will be the third.
Why is the Mets’ total so low? One reason is Strawberry, who was supposed to be the best position player in franchise history but left as a free agent after the 1990 season.
If Strawberry had stayed with the Mets for his entire career and had fulfilled his massive potential, chances are he would have hit more than the 335 he ended up with.
David Wright is third on the Mets’ homer list with 242. Wright wasn’t a pure slugger like Strawberry or Alonso, but he would have had more if a serious back condition hadn’t shortened his career.
Alonso’s final Mets home run total is hard to predict because there’s no telling if he will play his entire career in Flushing — or if he’ll even be back next season.
Remember, Alonso nearly left the Mets as a free agent before agreeing to a deal just before spring training. Alonso can opt out of the contract after this season, and with his strong offensive numbers (.262, 25 homers going into Saturday), he might just do that.
If Alonso leaves, eventually the Mets’ all-time home run leader likely will be Juan Soto if he stays healthy for most of his 15-year contract. Even in what, for Soto, has been a so-so season, he had 27 home runs going into Saturday.
If Soto averages 27 home runs per season during his Mets contract, he will finish with 405.
The lesson is that in order to have one of the top totals, a franchise has to have been around for a while and has to have a homegrown slugger who plays all or most of his career in that uniform.
That’s why the top player on the list is Hank Aaron, who hit 733 home runs for the Milwaukee franchise that relocated to Atlanta in 1966. Aaron hit another 22 for the Milwaukee Brewers to give him 755 total.
Next is Babe Ruth, who hit 659 of his 714 home runs for the Yankees, and then Willie Mays, who hit 646 of his 660 for the Giants.
Mays hit his other 14 home runs for another franchise. The Mets.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
