In the midst of a powerful start to his 2023 season, Pete Alonso joined the Foul Territory show with Scott Braun as well as former players in Erik Kratz and Todd Frazier on Friday to chat about the recent stretch for the Mets and his own performance.
This year, Alonso keyed in on the ability to make in-game adjustments based on his own preparation before games.
“Honestly, from a fan perspective, it’s kind of difficult,” Alonso said. “Hitting is somewhere between an art and a science. You want to do your homework. You don’t know until you go. You don’t know what it’s like until you’re in the box in a game.”
One area that allowed Alonso to evolve this season is seeing more pitches and working walks to get on base. The slugger’s walk rate is up to 12 percent this year from 9.8 percent a year ago.
“The thing I’m proud of this year is that I’ve been taking my walks,” Alonso said. “I’ve been having high-quality at-bats. I’ve had lineouts. I’ve had balls not fall. The one thing I’m proud of is taking my walks.”
While Alonso’s impact at the plate is evident for New York through the first two months, Alonso also answered questions surrounding staying out of drama in the New York market and his abilities as a teammate for younger players such as Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty.
“They’re pros,” Alonso said. “They love the game. They work hard. From what I see, they’re good dudes. I mind my business. I work hard and do what I can. As a ballplayer, that’s all I want to do professionally. I just want to play well and have a good impact on others.”
With a league-leading 19 home runs, Alonso is a leading candidate to once again participate in the Home Run Derby during the All-Star break. The league-leader alluded that his decision will be based on a league invite.
“They haven’t invited me yet,” Alonso said. “I need an invite. I cannot just show up uninvited. Typically, it’s someone from the league who calls me or my agent. Once I get invited, I’ll make that decision.”
Alonso’s league-leading total could continue to soar with just under two months to go until the All-Star break. If he participates in the Home Run Derby, Alonso will chase his third crown in the last five tournaments.
