Pete Alonso’s roaring start to the 2025 season earned him NL Player of the Month honors from MLB on Friday afternoon, and just a few hours after the Mets’ slugger received the accolade, he hinted that his May could look even better than his April.
While there was no shortage of offense for the Mets in their 9-3 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, it was typical power from Alonso that sparked a mid-innings outburst. The veteran first baseman delivered a clutch go-ahead, two-run homer off of Sonny Gray in the fifth that shifted momentum and helped New York secure a franchise-record ninth straight victory over St. Louis.
The calendar flipped, but Alonso didn’t. He moved into sole possession of fifth place on the Mets’ all-time RBI list (616) with a 2-for-5 night at the plate, and he’s now 19 homers shy of surpassing icon Darryl Strawberry and becoming the club’s new power king.
With an NL-best .473 on-base percentage and 20 extra-base hits, Alonso has been the catalyst to a first-place club. But he’s not focused on the recognition and acclaim for a stellar April. He only wants to “contribute to winning.” So far, so good.
“His ability to control the strike zone is probably the best I’ve seen it over last year and this early on,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of Alonso after Friday’s win. “We know the power is there and we know he’s a good hitter. But he gets in trouble when he starts chasing. I feel like now, he’s taking his walks and getting pitches to hit, and he’s not missing them.”
Holmes appreciates run support
Clay Holmes didn’t wield his best stuff on Friday. While he completed six innings and earned a quality start for the second time this season, he allowed three runs on a season-high eight hits and struck out only three. The closer-turned-starter was required to navigate some jams — he couldn’t dodge a comebacker that struck his ankle in the second inning, however.
But ample and opportune run support placed Holmes in the win column for a fourth time, and he appreciated that cushion as a pressure reliever while his outing stretched to a season-high 92 pitches. Through seven starts (36.2 innings), the veteran right-hander has produced a sharp 2.95 ERA with 39 strikeouts.
“It’s a team that puts the ball in play a lot — I’m a contact guy,” Holmes said. “I was able to start mixing my pitches, use the four-seam and cutter a little bit, the slider. Really trying to generate some weak contact and make the defense work. Huge response by our offense there…
“As long as I don’t give free passes, it usually takes a few hits to beat me. It’s a balancing act. I want to be in the zone and trust the weak contact and keep pitching to it. Maybe there’s times when I could’ve gone for more chase with the slider or sinker…”
Best game yet for Alvarez
When the Mets were in desperate need of offense against the Nationals last weekend, they relied on power from Francisco Alvarez to narrowly escape with a win. And when the runs came in bunches against the Cardinals on Friday, Alvarez made sure that he was smack in the middle of their hit parade.
Batting out of the eighth spot, the young catcher finished the night 3-for-5 with a team-high three RBI, and his average now sits at .269 through 26 at-bats. Alvarez also helped Holmes settle down behind the dish in the second inning by gunning down Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn, trying to steal second.
Mendoza is pleased to see Alvarez allowing the ball to travel deep through the zone and properly timing his swing for impactful opposite-field knocks. Two of the 23-year-old’s three hits against Cardinals pitchers were sent to right field.
“It’s a good sign. We saw it a little bit in spring training before he went down,” Mendoza said. “And not just flipping balls the other way — hitting it hard. That’s a good sign for a good hitter, and hopefully he takes off from there.”