History made.
Pete Alonso stands alone as the rookie with the most home runs in Major League Baseball history.
He crushed his 53rd homer of the season to straightaway center field in the third inning of the Mets’ 3-0 win over the Braves on Saturday night. Alonso passed Yankees slugger Aaron Judge to take sole possession of the MLB rookie home run record.
“To be a part of Major League Baseball history, to be number one out of every single guy to play the game, it’s humbling and it’s such a ridiculously awesome feeling,” Alonso said. “That moment was just pure magic.”
Judge offered to take Alonso out to dinner sometime this offseason. The Yankees slugger said he’ll pay for the first meal, and Alonso can foot the bill the next time. The Mets rookie was interested in the locations of their eventual feasts together.
“I’ll take him to McDonalds and he can take me to Peter Luger’s,” Alonso said.
Alonso’s majestic home run traveled 415 feet and cranked off his bat at an exit velocity of 105 mph. Braves right-hander Mike Foltynewicz left a 93-mph fastball over the heart of the plate for Alonso to demolish out of the park. Alonso looked up, mouth agape, as the ball sailed away from him and into the center-field seats.
The Mets rookie took his time trotting around the bases and taking in the moment as instrumental music blared from the Citi Field speakers. The orange and blue crowd, there to see Alonso, got on its feet for the 24-year-old’s record-breaking homer. Some of the 32,210 in attendance praised the first baseman by bowing their heads and swinging their arms up and down, up and down.
“The fans were electric tonight,” Alonso said. “This place was absolutely buzzing. To make that many people happy with one swing, it’s a real special feeling.”
A majority of Alonso’s teammates walked out of the dugout and onto the field to congratulate the Polar Bear with hugs and high fives. Before Alonso even retreated into the dugout, he raised both his arms in the air and smiled at the crowd, as if to embrace his loyal Mets fans.
Alonso was, unsuccessfully, holding back tears as he took first base for the top of the fourth inning.
“Holy s–t, I can’t believe that happened,” Alonso said of what he was thinking as the tears fell. “It was just a magical moment. For my entire life, I’ve only wanted to be a baseball player. I didn’t have a Plan B. For the hard work and determination to pay off, and not just pay off, but it showed everybody that I’m a good big league baseball player.”
His mom Michelle, who was in attendance alongside Alonso’s father, Pete, and his fiancee, Hailey Walsh, was interviewed by FOX reporter Jon Morosi following the record-setting home run. Michelle said she was bawling her eyes out in her seat and referred to the scene as a “family cry fest.” She said Alonso is normally passionate, but he’s not moved to tears often.
Hailey said she decided to record Alonso’s at-bat before he swung for his 53rd home run on the fourth pitch. She doesn’t usually record her fiancee’s at-bats, but she was glad she can save a piece of history forever.
“I’ve never felt anything like that,” Alonso said. “It was just pure euphoria and magic. When I stepped into the box that second at-bat, it was an out of body experience almost. It felt like I wasn’t standing in the box alone.”
Alonso eventually retrieved the home run ball from the family that caught it. He met the family after the game and took them onto the field, signed a few balls and hats for the kids and gave him a moment of his time. The humble family — seemingly a perfect match for Alonso’s personality — didn’t want much more in return for the home run ball.
The Mets rookie kept the ball in the back pocket of his dirtied game pants from the moment the family gave it to him. By the penultimate game of the season, Alonso has collected an enormous amount of souvenirs. What does he plan to do with all the memorabilia?
“Whenever I build a house, I’ll have to have a special mancave for all that stuff,” he said.
If he can maintain his lead over Reds infielder Eugenio Suarez (49), Alonso would become the first rookie in baseball’s modern era to become the Majors’ outright leader in home runs. Suarez has just one game left to make up a four-homer gap.
“The fans came here to see something historic and they got what they wanted to see,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “It’s like he never lets you down. You can see it in his face how genuine everything and every emotion he has is. It’s a fun sight to see.”
