Pete Alonso — who almost left New York as a free agent over the winter — homered in his first house at-bat of the season to energy the Mets to a 5-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday afternoon.
The Mets improved to 42-22 all-time in house openers, together with 12-5 since Citi Discipline opened in 2009. The Blue Jays had their four-game successful streak snapped.
Alonso appeared prone to go away the Mets at a number of factors throughout the offseason — particularly on Jan. 25, when proprietor Steve Cohen referred to as the negotiations “exhausting” and “worse” than those with free agent Juan Soto, who signed a 15-year deal value $765 million in December.
However Alonso and the group agreed on Feb. 12 to a two-year deal value $54 million with an opt-out following this season. On Friday, Alonso obtained a thunderous ovation throughout pregame introductions earlier than he hit a two-run blast simply past the best discipline wall off Kevin Gausman (1-1) within the first inning.
Alonso, whose 229 homers are 23 shy of Darryl Strawberry’s franchise file, emerged from the dugout for a curtain name and raised his arms to the sellout crowd of 43,945.
Alonso additionally factored into the Mets’ three-run sixth towards a trio of Blue Jays pitchers. After Francisco Lindor walked to chase Gausman, Soto ripped an RBI double towards Mason Fluharty and Alonso was deliberately walked earlier than Brandon Nimmo added one other run-scoring double. Starling Marte adopted by lofting a sacrifice fly off Jacob Barnes.
Soto, who additionally obtained a heat reception throughout pregame introductions, was 1-for-4 with a stolen base in his Mets house debut.
Tylor Megill (2-0) earned the win after permitting two hits and three walks whereas placing out 4 over 5 1/3 innings. Reed Garrett, A.J. Minter and Max Kranick completed the mixed four-hitter.
George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two hits apiece for the Blue Jays.
Gausman gave up three runs on two hits and two walks whereas placing out none over 5 1/3 innings. It was simply the fifth time in 292 profession begins Gausman has not whiffed a batter.
–Discipline Degree Media