ATLANTA -- In past years, Pete Alonso’s All-Star highlights have typically come during Monday’s Home Run Derby. This year, the Mets slugger put his power on display in the All-Star Game.
With the National League already holding a 2-0 lead, Alonso bashed a three-run home run against Royals left-hander Kris Bubic in the bottom of the sixth inning of the NL's eventual 7-6 win over the AL.
2025 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard
• A first-of-its kind end to All-Star Game
• 8 best moments | Key stats and facts | Team-by-team breakdown
• Wielding new bat, Schwarber launches 3 clutch HRs to win MVP honors
• Atlanta, All-Stars Stand Up to Cancer at Midsummer Classic
• All-Stars show off their different styles at Red Carpet Show
• All-Star closer's Persian cat steals the show on her personal red carPET
Alonso is only the third Met with an All-Star Game home run. He joined David Wright (2006) and Lee Mazzilli (1979).
“I think that beats any Derby win,” Alonso, a two-time Derby champ, said. “That’s really, really special for me. I’m stoked. I’m stoked to do that, stoked to perform the way I did today. It was just an awesome and incredible experience.”
Alonso’s home run came on a 1-0 fastball from Bubic, which the first baseman launched a Statcast-projected 367 feet over the right-field fence. Alonso had entered the game as a defensive replacement for NL starter Freddie Freeman with one out in the top of the third, lining out to first base in his first at-bat.
“These are world-class hitters, and they do damage on pitches when I fall behind in the count,” said Bubic. “But I’m not going to sit here and analyze it too much. Adrenaline’s pumping for sure, and I tried to rein it in a little bit.”
The home run was only the second hit in eight career All-Star plate appearances for Alonso, who is taking part in his fifth All-Star Game, tied with Carlos Beltrán for the second most by a Mets position player. (Wright, Mike Piazza and Darryl Strawberry all had seven.) His other hit came in his first All-Star Game in 2019 at Progressive Field, as he hit a two-run single against Cleveland’s Brad Hand.
“That was great. It’s an unbelievable environment here,” Alonso said during an interview with FOX after the home run. “Great job from the guys in front of me. [Fernando Tatis Jr.] had an unbelievable AB. [Brendan Donovan] hustling out a single there. Unbelievable baserunning from those guys. They set up the whole situation.”
This year marked the first time in his career that Alonso did not take part in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, an event he won in both 2019 and 2021. Alonso is the all-time leader in home runs at the Derby with 207 in five appearances, but Tuesday night’s blast should rank up there for him when it comes to All-Star moments.
“The Derby and stuff like that in that environment, it’s just batting practice at the end of the day,” said Alonso. “For me to do it in a competitive environment where someone’s trying to get me out and not groove meatballs in there, I think for me, it’s really special to do that against -- all the league’s best are here.”
Alonso nearly had a chance to show off his Derby skills anyway on Tuesday. He was strategically tabbed by manager Dave Roberts as the NL’s final hitter in a historic swing-off. While he was warming up, Kyle Schwarber took care of business one batter before him.
“Honestly, I felt like a closer going into a game, where it’s like so-and-so’s got to warm up,” Alonso said. “Then it’s like, wait, the guy on the field got a double play to end the inning, you’re not going in, team wins. I got super ready. I was ready for it. But I’m glad Schwarbs did it, and we did it the easy way.”