New York Mets: Is Pete Alonso the New HR King of New York?
New York Mets rookie, Pete Alonso has tied the rookie home run record before the All-Star game set by New York Yankees Aaron Judge back in 2017.
Pete Alonso, the sensational rookie for the New York Mets, has a chance to break or tie Aaron Judge‘s record for home runs by a rookie. Unfortunately, Alonso is about the only thing positive going for the Mets at this point.
He tied Judge’s rookie record for home runs before the All-Star break with 30. Judge mashed 52 home runs during his Rookie of the Year campaign of 2017.
In tying that record, Alonso also set the National League record for RBI’s by a rookie before the All-Star break with 68, a record that was set by former St. Louis Cardinals‘ Albert Pujols.
The question is will Pete Alonso tie or break Aaron Judge’s rookie home run record? Let’s take a look at the numbers as there are obviously two different directions Alonso can go. To be honest, I’m rooting for Alonso to beat Judge’s record. I have a hard time rooting for anything associated with the New York Yankees.
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Back in 1987, there was a particular rookie who was also mashing home runs at an incredible rate, one Mark McGwire for the Oakland Athletics. He actually owns the record for home runs hit by a rookie before the All-Star break with 33.
That season McGwire slashed .289/.370/.618 and led the entire league in home runs with 49 and 118 RBI’s. He really regressed though with home runs, only hitting 16 the second half of the season.
Judge reversed that and hit 22 the second half of the season and ended with a .284/.422/.627 line with the 52 home runs and 114 RBI’s. Unfortunately, he did lead the majors in strikeouts that year with 208.
Alonso currently has a slash line of .280/.372/.634 with the 30 home runs and 68 RBI’s, but he is striking out at a lower rate than Judge. Everything depends on that second half of the season and either pitcher will be used to Alonso like McGwire or Alonso will exceed and vie for the MLB rookie home run record.
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I think New York Mets rookie Pete Alonso will beat Judge’s record, but only by one or two home runs. I really just want to see another Yankee record bested by someone who is not a Yankee.