MILWAUKEE — A sure Polar Bear’s return from hibernation was excessive on the Mets want record as they thought of the duty forward of them Thursday evening.
Pete Alonso’s roar has been muted for weeks, and if the Mets had been going to increase their season with a Recreation 3 victory over the Brewers within the NL Wild Card Sequence, it will assist to have their slugging first baseman concerned.
Alonso entered play and not using a homer since Sept. 19, when he went deep towards the Phillies.
That blast was additionally the final extra-base hit for Alonso, who was 1-for-5 (.200) within the wild-card sequence as play started.
He walked 3 times within the Recreation 1 Mets victory.
“I really feel like I’m taking fairly respectable at-bats and I really feel actually constant,” Alonso mentioned. “I simply must preserve swinging and good issues will occur.”
Alonso, who’s headed to free company after the World Sequence, was probably enjoying his final sport in a Mets uniform on Thursday.
It’s a thought he says hadn’t entered his head till he was requested about it.
“I actually don’t need to take into consideration that in any respect,” Alonso mentioned. “My complete focus goes deep into the playoffs.”
Alonso received’t be hitting the market on the upswing: He produced a stable however unspectacular .240/.329/.459 slash line with 34 homers and 88 RBIs in the course of the common season.
The house run complete was the bottom of his profession for a full season.
Supervisor Carlos Mendoza, earlier than Thursday’s sport, was requested if he felt Alonso has put an excessive amount of strain on himself.
“I don’t see that and I don’t really feel that,” Mendoza mentioned. “He’s the identical man. Yeah, it’s been laborious for him the entire 12 months and it’s undoubtedly been laborious for him the final two or three weeks, however I like the way in which he’s controlling the strike zone.
“He’s one swing away, however I don’t see him making an attempt to do an excessive amount of or panicking or placing an excessive amount of strain on himself, I don’t see that. I see the identical man that’s protecting it unfastened.”
The Mets acquired late homers from Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor in overtaking the Braves on Monday within the first sport of a doubleheader to clinch a wild-card berth.
The Mets didn’t homer within the nightcap or within the first two video games of their sequence towards the Brewers.
That lack of pop solely underscored Alonso’s current struggles.
“It doesn’t really feel like he has misplaced confidence,” Lindor mentioned. “It seems like he’s working and dealing to be higher. I feel he feels he had 12 months.”
Lindor was requested if he thought Alonso’s looming free company had weighed on him.
“I haven’t seen that in any respect,” Lindor mentioned.
The distinction for the Mets between a productive Pete Alonso and non-productive one is the hole that exists between a polar bear and cub.
“He’s a man that may carry a group,” Mendoza mentioned.
There was nonetheless time for Alonso because the Mets completed batting observe at American Household Subject and retreated to their clubhouse for remaining Recreation 3 preparations.
If the Mets had been lucky sufficient to advance to the NLDS towards the Phillies, two video games within the launching pad often known as Residents Financial institution Park awaited, and the chance Alonso would have a pleasant setting.
“Homers are going to occur,” Alonso mentioned. “I feel if we simply proceed collectively as a bunch to hit the ball laborious once they come over the center of the dish, the homers will occur.”
