The New York Mets have been battling some struggles since the All-Star break. Their fans are anxious as they have won only nine out of their last 20 games. They sit 23rd in team batting average and 17th in scoring. However, one homegrown player’s performance has been a silver lining. On August 9 in Milwaukee, he launched a historic blast that tied him with the legendary Darryl Strawberry for the most home runs in franchise history. And now?

Only three days later, on August 12, the Polar Bear, or Pete Alonso, solidified his status in MLB history. He hit his 253rd career home run against Braves ace Spencer Strider. Undoubtedly the home run king of Queens, Alonso has been having a monster season, hitting .267 with a .528 slugging percentage, 28 homers, and 96 RBIs. His climb to the top was breathtakingly fast as he shattered Strawberry’s record in just 965 games, which is a staggering 144 games faster. He passed a hall-of-fame list of Mets legends, like David Wright (242), Mike Piazza (220), Howard Johnson (192), and Carlos Beltran.

Gary Sheffield, a club member of the MLB 500-homer club, was amazed by this achievement. Sheffield, however, offered more than just praise. On an MLB Network appearance, Sheffield went on record saying that Alonso is the linchpin of the Mets’ franchise aspirations. “He’s gonna be the reason why they win a championship in New York if they ever do,” Sheffield confidently shared.

A fellow Tampa native, Sheffield, spoke with sincerity. He detailed how difficult a situation it would have been for the Mets if Alonso had ended up leaving in the offseason. “I said if they lose him, so—so does the—the Mets are going back down to the bottom,” Sheffield revealed. “And now that he’s back, and he’s playing well, he’s going to be the reason why they win a championship… That’s a big number, you know, to pass Strawberry, you know, he’s one of the all-time legends—you put Darryl Strawberry’s name behind and you accomplish something like that, that’s always a feat.”

Sheffield’s argument is supported by evidence of Alonso’s tendency to perform at his best when it matters the most. Exhibit, you may ask? That three-run go-ahead homer in the 2024 Wild Card Series is a prime example. This season, Alonso, who returned to the Mets as a free agent in February on a $54 million, two-year contract, has continued coming through for the team during the most pivotal moments. He hit a walk-off sacrifice fly for a 4-3 win against the Pirates on May 12. He also hit a three-run homer against the Giants on August 3 to help the team to a 12-6 victory. These moments are enough to describe how premium he is.

The work, the words, and the welcome to history

Alonso made headlines in 2019 when he broke the MLB rookie record of Aaron Judge with 53 home runs. Since then, he has been a model of consistency. He hit 16 homers in the short 2020 season, then 37 in 2021. He also became the first Mets player to have multiple 40-homer seasons, belting 40 in 2022 and 46 in 2023. His worst year since then is good enough to have 34 homers in 2024. This makes him the relentless engine that drives the Mets’ offense for the last few seasons.

Manager Carlos Mendoza praised his superstar for his incredible work ethic. Mendoza said when Alonso was one homer away from tying Strawberry’s record, “It could be after an 0-for-4 game or a tough loss, and he’s on the plane and it’s the same routine.” Mendoza mentioned that at times he has to tell Alonso to “back off a little bit because he’s taking 1,000 swings in the cages.” 

The man Alonso passed, Darryl Strawberry, released a video message after Alonso broke the record. “Congratulations on breaking the home run record,” he said. “You have worked hard, you have stood up in the pressure of New York City… it is well deserved, you are a homegrown player.”

While we see Alonso as the home run king, a look back at Darryl Strawberry’s career puts into perspective what made “Straw” a special case. Strawberry was a different kind of player — a true five-tool talent. In 1987, he hit 39 home runs and stole 36 bases, a rare 30-30 season. He was a constant threat on the base and at the plate. Also, what really set him apart was that crucial home run in Game 7 to help win the World Series in 1986. Now you know what feat Alonso achieved when he passed the legend himself.

But Pete Alonso has always displayed his quiet confidence. He stated he had always thought it was possible to reach this milestone, provided he stayed healthy. “If you were to tell me that [back in 2019], it would be like, ‘OK, yeah, sweet, checks out,’” Alonso said. And the 30-year-old star remains hopeful of the 500-homer club. “It’s circumstantial, but if I stay healthy and perform, I can get there,” Alonso said. “I would like to play until I am 40. I think if I stay healthy and continue to perform, [500 homers] is reasonable.”

Alonso holds the home run record. He has the praise of the legends. But what really secured Strawberry’s place in Mets lore was that ultimate achievement. So, Mets fans, do you agree with Sheffield?