Pete Alonso breaks Darryl Strawberry’s Mets franchise home run record

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NEW YORK — New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso hit his 253rd career homer on Tuesday night, breaking the franchise record held by Darryl Strawberry for 37 years.

The 30-year-old Alonso drove a 95.1-m.p.h. fastball from Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider just over the wall in right-centre for a two-run shot in the third inning. Alonso’s 27th homer of the season lifted the Mets to a 5-1 lead.

The Mets celebrated the accomplishment with a scoreboard graphic with the number 253 alongside pictures of Alonso and polar bears in honour of the slugger’s nickname. Alonso embraced Brandon Nimmo, who scored ahead of him, and another longtime teammate, on-deck hitter Jeff McNeil, before doffing his cap and blowing kisses to a near-sellout crowd that included New York owner Steve Cohen.

Led by manager Carlos Mendoza, the Mets poured out of the dugout to exchange embraces with Alonso as the crowd chanted his name. Alonso emerged for another curtain call during McNeil’s at-bat.

Following the inning, the Mets played the theme from “The Natural” and Alonso again doffed his cap as the camera lingered on Strawberry’s No. 18 hanging above foul territory in left field at Citi Field.

It was Alonso’s fifth homer in 10 games this month — as many as he hit in 43 games from June 10 through July 30. He tied Strawberry’s record by going deep against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

A homegrown star, Alonso broke into the big leagues with a bang in 2019, hitting 53 home runs to set a major-league rookie record and establish a franchise high for a single season.

The five-time All-Star has reached 40 two other times and been one of the most consistent sluggers in baseball since his arrival. After a protracted negotiation, he returned to the Mets as a free agent in February on a $54-million, two-year contract that includes a $24-million player option for 2026 which Alonso likely will decline.

The only other active players who lead their current franchise in home runs are Manny Machado (Padres) and Mike Trout (Angels).

Giancarlo Stanton, now with the New York Yankees, holds the Miami mark with 267 for the Marlins.

Strawberry broke the previous Mets record with his 155th home run on May 3, 1988, passing Dave Kingman. The sweet-swinging outfielder hit 252 in 1,109 games for New York during his first eight major-league seasons from 1983-90. He later played for the Dodgers, Giants and Yankees, finishing his 17-year career with 335 homers.

Alonso played his 965th regular-season game Tuesday. The durable first baseman has played in 372 straight, a team record.

The Diamondbacks and Padres are the lone major-league teams who haven’t had a player hit more than 252 homers for them. Luis Gonzalez holds the Arizona record with 224, and Machado entered Tuesday with 187 for San Diego.