Mets' Pete Alonso still prefers first base over DH, but says he trusts Buck Showalter

PHILADELPHIA — One of the delicate issues Buck Showalter must manage this season was on full display Wednesday: When Pete Alonso and Dominic Smith are in the lineup, who should play first base?

On Wednesday, for the second time in a week, the answer was Smith. Alonso served as the designated hitter during his 3-for-5, five-RBI performance as the Mets downed the Phillies, 9-6.

Alonso has expressed periodically in recent years, and did so again after his big game, that he sees himself as a first baseman, not a DH. But he is willing to do what Showalter asks.

“I would rather be out there, but I know that Buck’s the one that writes the lineup and I know he’s trying to win every single day,” Alonso said. “I love to play first base every day. Dom is a great first baseman as well, but I feel like me being out there helps the team the most. But again, Buck’s trying to win every single day. I trust Buck. I trust every single lineup that he writes and puts out there.

“He’s all in. I’m all in. I just want to do what I can each day, whether it’s at first base. I know I’m a damn good first baseman.”

Wednesday made Alonso 2-for-2 in successful DH days. He hit a grand slam on Saturday.

“I don’t want to hear anything about DHing anymore,” Showalter cracked. “He probably doesn’t want to either.”

Smith, generally regarded as the better defensive first baseman, said “every day is a revolving door” for a bunch of Mets position players. Sometimes he gets a heads-up when and where he’ll be playing, others he shows up and finds his name on the lineup card.

Alonso, meanwhile, is developing a routine when he is the DH: watching his previous at-bats, looking at scouting reports for who he might face next and using a massage gun and doing sprints to keep his body loose.

“And every once in a while, I’ll pop my head out, watch the game and see how the game is unfolding,” he said. “The one thing I don’t want to do is I don’t want to lose track of the game. Because there are certain things in the game where certain situations can be dictated. So I want to be as locked in as I possibly can and as loose and prepared for every AB.”

Asked if he would be comfortable DHing once or twice a week, he said: “Whatever my job is that day, I just want to do it well.”

Honoring Hodges

The Mets will celebrate Gil Hodges, the manager of their 1969 World Series champion team who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in July, prior to their 1 p.m. game Saturday against the Diamondbacks.

His children — Irene Hodges, Gil Hodges Jr. and Cynthia Hodges — and other relatives will be present for a pregame ceremony that will include a video tribute. Gil Jr., Cynthia and two great-grandsons — Louis Savelli and Logan Ojeda — will throw out first pitches.

Extra bases

Showalter said he switched Francisco Lindor (batting second) and Starling Marte (third) for strategy reasons against Aaron Nola, but also: “It’s something I’ve been wanting to look at along the way. It’s not that drastic. Two really good hitters.” . . . Kyle Schwarber, who hit nine home runs off Mets pitchers last year, went 0-for-12 in the three-game series. “Somebody is going to pay,” Showalter said. “I would not want to be the next team trying to get him out. Our guys pitched him really well.” . . . The Mets’ rotation against the Diamondbacks this weekend: Chris Bassitt on Friday, Carlos Carrasco on Saturday, TBA (maybe David Peterson) on Sunday.

By Tim Healey

timothy.healey@newsday.com@timbhealey

Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.