Mets' Pete Alonso homers in front of club HR king Darryl Strawberry
Mets infielder Pete Alonso runs the bases after hitting a home run during a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Wednesday Feb. 28, 2024 in Port St. Lucie FL. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — With guest instructor Darryl Strawberry, the franchise’s all-time home-run king, watching from the dugout, the Mets reached another rite of spring (training) Wednesday: Pete Alonso’s first long ball.
He blasted a changeup from the Cardinals’ JoJo Romero easily over the leftfield wall in the bottom of the fourth.
“Typical Pete,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He got a pitch on a hanging (offspeed pitch) and got the head out and hit it out of the ballpark. That’s who he is.”
Alonso, who also doubled, said: “Felt really solid so far in my game at-bats. I’m pretty excited where I’m at.”
Entering his sixth season — and last before becoming a free agent — Alonso has 192 homers, tied for fourth in Mets history. Strawberry had 252.
Spring scenes
Other highlights from the Mets’ 3-0 exhibition win:
• Outfielder Trayce Thompson went 2-for-2 with a double and a homer, his second in as many games.
“We know the type of athlete he is, what he brings to the table,” Mendoza said.
• Utility infielder Zack Short made another standout play, this time at third base. He followed a backhanded stop to rob Nick Raposo of a double with a strong throw from near the foul line to first to get the out.
“He’s an elite defender,” Mendoza said. “The fact that he can do it at multiple positions, that’s special.”
• Lefthander Josh Walker bounced back from a rough Grapefruit League debut, striking out a pair in a perfect inning.
Team time
The Mets’ team bonding event Wednesday night: Brandon Nimmo and his wife Chelsea rented out a nearby mini-golf place. All players and their families were invited.
Nimmo said they took up the torch after Max Scherzer had organized a similar gathering in recent years.
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.
