Pete Alonso’s most memorable home runs thus far in his historic rookie season

Pete Alonso made history against the Royals when he hit his 40th home run of the season, breaking Cody Bellinger’s record for most home runs by a National League rookie. It has already been a memorable year for the Polar Bear—with still plenty of season left—but let’s take a look back at some of the most jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring, and ridiculous shots that have put him in the history books.

10. April 21, 2019 vs. Cardinals

The Mets were in St. Louis facing the Cardinals, and Alonso begged his manager to leave him in the lineup since he had some history with Cardinals starter Dakota Hudson. Callaway obliged, and the rookie made good right away when he hit a 444-foot home run against his old foe.

9. May 8, 2019 vs. Padres

Padres rookie Chris Paddack took umbrage with Alonso winning Rookie of the Month for April and sought revenge when the Mets traveled to San Diego in early May. Paddack dominated the Mets in the series opener, but the first baseman got his own measure of revenge the next day. With the game tied in the ninth, Alonso unleashed a 449-foot no-doubter that included a bat flip. Paddack’s reaction says it all.

8. June 11, 2019 vs. Yankees

By mid-June the Mets were starting to struggle again, but the city still gets excited for the Subway Series. In enemy territory, where the Yankees have their own fearsome sluggers, it was Alonso who stole the show. His first inning blast off James Paxton gave the Mets an early 3-0 lead and put the city on notice the Mets have their own powerful slugger who belongs in the spotlight.

7. April 1, 2019 vs. Marlins

Pete Alonso’s first career home run came on the road in Miami. The Mets were clinging to a slim one-run lead, but the rookie provided some much-needed insurance with a three-run bomb to center field in the ninth inning. It was only the beginning for Alonso, but it was nice to see him get on the board early after not hitting any against Washington in the Mets’ first series of the season.

6. June 15, 2019 vs. Cardinals

This game ended up being closer than it had any right to be, but in the first inning the Mets’ first baseman showed off his might in front of the home crowd. He sent a baseball to left where very few baseballs ever go. It landed off the third deck—458 feet away—which became the longest home run hit by a Mets player at Citi Field.

5. April 11, 2019 vs. Braves

Many of Alonso’s blasts have been seemingly made for Statcast, and that was evident back in April when he hit a shot into the fountain in Atlanta. It traveled an impressive 454 feet, but what really stood out was the exit velocity, which registered at 118.3 mph and still stands at second in the majors, trailing only Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s max velocity of 118.9.

4. August 18, 2019 vs. Royals

No matter how you look at it, forty home runs is impressive, even more so when done as a rookie. Darryl Strawberry’s rookie mark for the Mets was shattered back in June, and that left the record for all National League rookies as the next one to fall. It finally did with about a month and a half of games left to play.

3. July 17, 2019 vs. Twins

People like to talk about sluggers who participate in the Home Run Derby and whether or not it affects them for the rest of the season. Alonso made sure to put such fears to rest early when he blasted a home run that went farther than any baseball he hit in the derby. In fact, it became the longest home run hit by a Met in the Statcast era. It traveled to the third deck at Target Field, a staggering 474 feet from home plate.

2. August 9, 2019 vs. Nationals

Alonso has hit farther home runs and faster home runs, but almost no home run was as important as the one he hit off Stephen Strasburg in a crucial series opener against the Nationals. The Mets had not picked up a hit off the tough righty up to that point, and Washington had just taken the lead in the top of the inning. The Mets answered right back and eventually won with Michael Conforto’s heroics, but it was Alonso’s home run that helped the Mets finally break through and send the crowd into a frenzy.

1. August 5, 2019 vs. Marlins

The Mets were hot and starting to climb the standings to get back into the Wild Card race. Beating up on the lowly Marlins was important to the task at hand, but sweeping doubleheaders always proves to be difficult. The Mets took the first game easily with Jacob deGrom on the mound, but the second was not going the Mets’ way until the seventh inning. J.D. Davis got the fun started with a solo home run to pull the Mets to within one, and Michael Conforto tied it with a shot of his own to the back of the Coca Cola Corner. That brought up the Polar Bear, who worked the count full before shooting a laser down the left field line. Scooter and the Big Man broke the city in half, and the celebration was on.

Honorable Mention: The Home Run Derby

Alonso is now the rookie home run king in the record books, but he also took home the crown at the Home Run Derby. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. put on quite a display, but in the end, Alonso knew what he had to do to win and with a roar, he did just that.