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Pete Alonso did the NY Mets a huge favor by swatting home run number 300

Let that home run be a good thing for the Mets.
ByTim Boyle
Sep 15, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (21) hits a solo home run during the ninth inning against the New York Mets  at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Sep 15, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (21) hits a solo home run during the ninth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He finally did it. Pete Alonso waited until one out in the 9th to hit home run number 300 for his career. The game was suddenly tied and New York Mets fans reacted by cheering because they love him, don’t like David Stearns, and wish the 2026 season had more meaning.

The big debate after the game was whether this was appropriate or not. Sean Manaea wasn’t so happy about it. Kodai Senga, the one who gave up the home run, accepted it for what it was.

It’s not so complicated to understand. The 2026 team was eliminated a day prior and winning games actually hurts them. In fact, when you check the latest MLB standings, Alonso did the Mets a huge favor.

Individual player performances and draft positioning matter most for the Mets right now

The Mets currently hold the 5th best odds to win the first overall pick in next year’s MLB Draft Lottery. The San Francisco Giants look destined to lock in at number 10 because of them being ineligible for anything higher. Owners of the 6th-worst record in MLB, there are multiple teams not too far ahead/behind.

The Mets have 69 wins after Tuesday’s loss. Meanwhile, the Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, and Cincinnati Reds sit at 70. The Washington Nationals aren’t much better with 71. Then there are the Detroit Tigers with 72.

Falling out of the 6th spot in the draft is the biggest concern as it would mean the Mets dropping 10 picks back as a result of luxury tax spending penalties. It’s not a death sentence. Still, in a lost season like this, you want every reward you can get. It’s not as simple as taking a better player.

There are financial implications that not even Steve Cohen can buy his way out of. Bonus slot money in the draft causes the need to get creative at times or will hold a club back. In either case, the Mets losing right now is best for the long-term business of things.

That doesn’t mean you need to head over to Citi Field and cheer for the Philadelphia Phillies this weekend. But this has become more of an individualized game.

Mets players seem to understand the circumstances well enough. Francisco Lindor had a similar opinion as Manaea after Monday’s loss.

What hasn’t come up is if the players recall how unhappy fans were earlier in the year. Senga is a -1.5 bWAR player this season. Manaea has a 5.01 ERA since re-signing after the 2024 season. It’s not easy for fans to change gears so quickly on players who wear the uniform and have underperformed. It’s a unique circumstance for everyone involved. As pointed out on SportsNite, it all changes if the Mets play well this year.

If draft positioning isn't something you care much about, let home run number 300 for Alonso and the reaction of the fans become the motivating factor for the underperfoming players to do better. Manaea, Senga, and Lindor couldn't have forgotten about 2024. Mets fans want the same two things all fanatics do: winning and high performance.

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