Mets star Pete Alonso struck out with RISP with an unneeded pregame flex

The New York Mets won on Monday but talk amongst the fans before the game was a strange flex in the locker room by first baseman Pete Alonso. Coming off of a rough weekend where his numbers with runners in scoring position was the buzziest subject and he dropped to fifth in the lineup for the game, Alonso was asked to comment on if there was any reason why his numbers aren’t where they usually are.

Already in the doghouse for all of the runners he is leaving on base, the response wasn’t welcomed by the fans. It sounded more like a pre-free agency pitch to teams as to why he should get a massive contract.

His home run pace (inaccurate) and All-Star selection (questionable) have nothing to do with what’s going on right now and this season’s performance. Alonso typically knows how to answer questions like this. What’s going on here?

Mets slugger Pete Alonso is digging himself a bigger hole with responses like this

From his rookie year onward, Alonso always seemed to understand his role and what it meant to be a member of the Mets. This year, he has fallen on the backburner away from most of the attention and now seems more focused on individual achievements.

Alonso isn’t used to being this maligned by the fans. Francisco Lindor has overtaken him on the beloved meter. Brandon Nimmo can do no wrong despite having his own troubles at the plate. The difference is Nimmo has carefully answered questions like this. Staying team-centric is all a player needs to do. Admit defeat. Explain your desire to get better. Remind the person with the microphone the team is playing meaningful baseball and winning is most important.

We can only imagine the type of frustration Alonso may be feeling for a variety of reasons. His performance. The team slipping out of a Wild Card spot. A dirty little secret about how he does with runners in scoring position exposed just three months before he’s a free agent. What about leaving a big contract on the table that probably is no longer there?

Alonso allegedly turned down an offer of seven years and $158 million in the offseason. He wanted something closer to 9 or 10 years. He might have to cut that in half.

Alonso did play with some fire in Monday’s win. An early defensive play on an attempted sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the third and maybe a little too aggressive on the base paths trying to stretch a single into a double after scoring on a wild pitch earlier in the game, he finished the day 1 for 4 with zero trips to the plate with a runner in scoring position.