SEATTLE — Just when Pete Alonso appeared poised to turn an offensive corner, the first baseman went 0-for-4 Friday in Seattle and left a runner in scoring position. It’s been a tough 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 unusually inconsistent this season, and while analytics don’t show any major regression, his average with runners in scoring position is unusual (.207). The one thing that stands out is his ground ball rate, which is 41.7 percent this season, about 5 percent higher than in recent seasons.
The Mets think it’s his timing.
“He’s got to put himself in good position to do damage,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “When he’s on time, he makes better swing decisions — he strikes out. When he’s late, obviously, he doesn’t recognize pitches and he runs after them a little bit more. So I think it all comes down to this: When the timing is right, he’s ready to hit fastballs.”
However, the Mets have yet to figure out why his timing has been off so often this season. Mendoza attributed that to the ups and downs of a long season.
“It’s part of the job,” he said. “You’re going to go through periods where you’re not up to par mechanically.”
To be fair, Alonso wasn’t the only one who went 0-0 Friday night in a 6-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Right-hander Bryce Miller was particularly tough. The Mets maintain that Alonso has time to turn things around, and so far this month, they haven’t been wrong. Eight games into a particularly tough road trip, Alonso is hitting .276 with a .986 OPS, three homers, six RBIs and five walks. His .385 BaBIP suggests those numbers are no fluke.
The Mets tried to move him lower in the lineup last week in St. Louis, and Alonso said there was no reason to be frustrated with the season he was having. He was named to the All-Star team and said he was on pace to hit 40 homers. Even if he wasn’t on track, it’s not like he had a bad season.
The 29-year-old has never had a high batting average, but he’s 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 hasn’t lost the club’s support either. He remains a popular player and respected for his defensive abilities and durability. This is a walk-on year, so the spotlight is firmly on Alonso, which he understands.
It could be a broader trend, as the entire offense is struggling. It may be the hottest stretch 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’s not going to get any easier this weekend against the Mariners, who have the lowest ERA in baseball (3.47).
It’s been a strange few years for the Polar Bear, but it’s also been a strange few years for the Mets. If he can get his timing back, the Mets will be better off.
“He has the ability to throw tough balls,” Mendoza said. “So you have to make sure he gets in good position to do some damage.”
