Pete Alonso made more home-run history Saturday, launching the 200th of his career to put himself in very exclusive company.
The Mets star’s opposite-field blast against Cardinals ace Sonny Gray at Citi Field came in his 710th career game. Only three MLB players – Ryan Howard (658 games), Aaron Judge (671) and Ralph Kiner (706 games) – achieved the feat more quickly.
The two-run shot in the fifth inning also made Alonso the fourth Met to reach the milestone, adding his name to a list that also features franchise greats Darryl Strawberry (252 home runs), David Wright (242) and Mike Piazza (220).
Now in his sixth year with the Mets, the 29-year-old Alonso boasts three seasons with at least 40 home runs. No other Met has more than one.
Alonso, Strawberry and Carlos Beltran are the only Mets with three seasons of 100 RBI or more.
Originally a 2016 second-round pick, Alonso burst onto the scene with 53 home runs in 2019, setting an MLB rookie record. He followed that up with 16 home runs during the COVID-shortened 2020 season; 37 in 2021; 40 in 2022 and 46 last season.
Alonso, who has a team-high eight home runs this season, is now 53 away from breaking Strawberry’s franchise record. Complicating that pursuit is Alonso’s impending free agency this offseason, which could make 2024 his final year with the Mets.