Carlos Mendoza reveals true feelings after Pete Alonso’s historic NY Mets record

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza showed emotion following first baseman Pete Alonso’s historic night, as Alonso permanently etched his name into the team’s record books.

Alonso, 30, broke the Mets’ franchise home run record on Tuesday during a 13-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves, hitting two home runs, including the record-setting 253rd of his career. The milestone marks another chapter in the career of one of the franchise’s most prolific hitters.

“I had tears in my eyes,” Mendoza told ESPN. “For how much we’ve been through the past two months, to just live that moment, I think we’ve just got to take a step back there and appreciate what you’re experiencing.”

How Alonso cemented his place in Mets history

Across 119 games this season, Alonso has tallied 28 home runs, 96 RBIs, and posted an .880 OPS. The record-breaking home run was the first of two long balls on the night, further solidifying Alonso’s role as a premier power hitter for the franchise.

Drafted by the Mets in the 2016 MLB Draft, Alonso has been a key figure in New York’s lineup for years. He previously set a major league rookie record with 53 home runs in 2019, which also set a franchise high for a single season.

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Alonso on the road to the record

“As a kid, you don’t really think that it’s in the realm of the possibility to be a franchise home run leader,” Alonso said. “You just want to get to the big leagues and give it your best. And the dream is really kind of this opaque and unknown thing. You just want to get there and compete, play for a World Series, play winning baseball.”