ATLANTA — It would have been easy for New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso to tell All-Star officials, “thanks, but no thanks,’ like so many of his peers.
He could say he was simply fatigued, needed to focus on the second half, or come up with an excuse just like the 16 others who backed out of playing in the game.
Who would blame him? Alonso has already been to four previous All-Star Games, and it’s not like he would be warmly welcomed in Atlanta. The Mets are the enemy down South, as he was coldly reminded during pre-game introductions when he was vigorously booed, and jeered when he replaced Freddie Freeman, the former hometown hero.
Sorry, Alonso isn’t built that way.
This time, he wanted to conserve his energy, keeping fresh for the Mets’ pennant race, but never once considered backing out of the game.
“It’s an honor for me,’ Alonso said. “Certain guys, if they’re banged up, it’s situational. But I’m healthy and I’m appreciative. It’s a great event.
“For me, it’s a no-brainer to come.’
If the fans want him, and his peers voted for him, he believed it was a privilege to come, opting instead to decline an invitation to the Home Run Derby, which he has competed in five times, winning twice.
So, the way Alonso figured it, as long as he was in town, he might as well put on a show.
He nearly brought home a souvenir too, and was the leading candidate to earn the All-Star MVP award after hitting a three-run, sixth-inning homer, only for game to be decided in a historic swing-off. The hero of the tiebreaker, Kyle Schwarber, was named MVP of what was officially a 7-6 National League win in front of a sellout crowd of 41,702 at Truist Park.
Alonso agreed be part of the tiebreaking home run derby, and was the third batter scheduled for the NL in the swing-off. But he was left stranded on deck when Tampa Bay Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda failed to homer, clinching the NL a 4-3 victory.
“Honestly, I felt like a closer going into a game,’ Alonso said, “and then it’s like, ‘Wait, the guy on the field got a double play. You’re not going in. The team wins.’’
So, what was better, winning the home-run derby or winning a swing-off in an All-Star Game?
“For me, I think that beats any Derby win,’ Alonso says. “Like, that’s really special for me. So, I’m stoked. … I mean, to win the All-Star game’s a big deal. It’s obviously a big competitive and pride thing.’
Besides, hitting a homer in an All-Star Game can be forever cherished.
Hitting a few in the Home Run Derby would be forgotten by the trade deadline.
“The Derby and stuff like that environment is just practice at the end of the day,’ Alonso says. “For me to do it in a competitive environment, where they’re trying to get me out and not groove meatballs in there, it’s really special to do that.’
And it still is an honor for Alonso to represent the National League.
“It’s a great way to honor family and friends,’ Alonso said, “because it’s not just, ‘I’m an All-Star.’ They do a great job showing appreciation for family, friends, because every guy out there has a great support system, a village behind them.’
And the Midsummer Classic dropouts certainly didn’t diminish the game in Alonso’s eyes.
“Some guys choose to take breaks,’’ Alonso said, “but you’ve got the best talent on both sides here, whether American League or National League. Full of talent. The best talent, the best players in the big leagues. It’s a really special group on both sides.’
Alonso’s sentiments were echoed by Dodgers 11-time All Star Clayton Kershaw in his pre-game speech to the NL team, letting them know being an All-Star should be an honor, and never, ever be taken for granted.
“The All-Star Game, it can be hard at times for the players,’ Kershaw said. “It’s a lot of travel. It’s a lot of stress, chaos, family, all the stuff. But it’s meaningful. It’s impactful for the game. It’s important for the game.
“We have the best All-Star Game of any sport. We do have the best product. So, to be here, to realize your responsibility in the sport is important. We have Shohei [Ohtani] here. We have Aaron Judge here. We have all these guys that represent the game really, really well, so we get to showcase that and be part of that is important.
“I was super honored to be a part of it.’
Alonso had a blast picking up where he left off in the first half with 21 homers, 77 RBIs and a .908 OPS, leading the Mets to a 55-42 record, one-half game behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.
“I’m really pleased with my performance so far,” Alonso said. “There’s a really special feeling around the team. I want to finish out the season strong and help this team do incredible things. I want this to be a very historic year for the franchise.”
Certainly, it’s about to be historic for Alonso, too. He has 247 career homers, just five home runs shy of Darryl Strawberry’s franchise record for homers. Just in time to hit free agency again when he’s expected to opt out of the final year of his two-year, $54 million contract.
“I’m just worried about the team winning,’’ Alonso says. “The rest, will take care of itself.’