SEATTLE — Just when it looked like Pete Alonso was about to turn the corner offensively, the first baseman went 0-for-4 Friday in Seattle and stranded a runner in scoring position. It’s been a head-scratching year for Alonso, though the Mets aren’t exactly discouraged by his performance and Alonso isn’t showing any outward signs of frustration either.
Alonso has been exceptionally streaky this season, and while the analytics don’t show any major regression, his average with runners in scoring position is uncharacteristic (.207). The only thing that stands out is his ground-ball rate, which is 41.7% this season, about 5% higher than it has been over the last few seasons.
The Mets think it’s his timing.
“It comes down to him putting himself in a good position to do damage,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “When he’s on time, the swing decisions are better — he swings at strikes. When he’s late, obviously, he doesn’t recognize pitches, and he chases a little bit more. So I think it just comes down to, when the timing is right, he’s ready to hit fastballs.”
However, the Mets haven’t figured out why his timing has wavered so often this season. Mendoza chalked it up to the ebbs and flows of a long season.
“It’s just part of the grind,” he said. “You’re gonna go through stretches where you’re off mechanically.”
To be fair, Alonso wasn’t alone in his 0-for performance Friday night in a 6-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Right-hander Bryce Miller was especially tough. The Mets maintain that Alonso has time to turn his season around and so far this month, they haven’t been wrong. Through eight games of an especially tough road trip, Alonso is hitting .276 with a .986 OPS, three home runs, six RBI and five walks. His .385 BaBIP would indicate that these numbers aren’t a fluke.
The Mets experimented with moving him down in the lineup last week in St. Louis and Alonso said there was no sense getting frustrated because of the season he was having. He was named to the All-Star team and said he was on pace to hit 40 homers. While he was off on the pace, it’s not like he’s been having a bad season.
The 29-year-old has never been a high-average hitter but has recognized that and worked to improve it. He’s hitting .244 this season, up from last year. He’s working to hit more line drives and chase fewer pitches out of the zone.
Alonso also hasn’t lost the support of the clubhouse. He remains a popular fixture and is respected for his defensive abilities and durability. It’s a walk year, so the spotlight is firmly fixed on Alonso, which he understands.
There might be a larger trend at play with the entire offense struggling. It might be the hottest part of the summer, but the Mets’ bats have gone cold. Over the last 15 days, the Mets have posted a .708 OPS, 23rd in the league. It isn’t going to get any easier this weekend against the Mariners, who boast the lowest ERA in baseball (3.47).
It’s been a strange few years for the Polar Bear, but then again, it’s been a strange few years for the Mets as well. If he can get his timing back, the Mets will be better for it.
“He’s got that ability to lay off some tough pitches,” Mendoza said. “So it’s just making sure he puts himself in a good position to do damage.”