Major League Baseball

Pete Alonso on Mets' potential resurgence, recruiting Shohei Ohtani

Updated Jul. 11, 2023 4:07 p.m. ET

Pete Alonso gave a valiant effort but did not become the first MLB player since the legendary Ken Griffey Jr. to win a third Home Run Derby title on Monday night.

It would have been a poetic way to do so, with Griffey in attendance in front of a Seattle Mariners-heavy crowd at T-Mobile Park. But Alonso fell in the first round to a historic 41-home run performance from current Mariners fan favorite Julio Rodríguez, who was then eliminated in the semifinals by eventual champion Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

But Alonso still figures to participate in Tuesday's main event (8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App) as he was selected to his third career All-Star team. Thus far in 2023, Alonso is battling .211 with 26 home runs and 61 RBIs.

However, the Mets have struggled mightily to live up to their 101-win 2022 season despite a payroll north of $360 million — the richest in MLB history. The Mets went 7-19 in June, falling as far back as 18.5 games out of first place in the NL East standings.

But things have possibly started to turn around, as the Mets are 6-2 so far in July.

According to Alonso, the team has been creating momentum — remaining hot offensively and pitching well in the bullpen while starting to get more consistency from their two veteran ace pitchers, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer and impressive rookie Kodai Senga.

'Nothing's better than being a champion'

Mets slugger Pete Alonso speaks on Home Run Derby experience.

"We pull for each other," Alonso told the MLB on FOX crew Monday night. "We have a great clubhouse. Things haven't gone the way that we would have liked in the first half, but the last week was extremely promising and is going to be a nice springboard into the second half."

It could be a springboard into something even more than that, as the Mets under wealthy owner Steve Cohen have been constantly linked to Shohei Ohtani, who will be a free agent after this season.

During media availability Monday, Alonso was asked to pitch Ohtani on the Mets, and mentioned the team's culture as a selling point.

"Citi Field is a really fun place to play," Alonso said. "New York is a great city. We have an excellent fan base, and it's just an incredible place to play."

Alonso's recruiting pitch was a bit more serious — and less direct — than that of his teammate and Ohtani's countryman Senga, who joked that he would simply try to put his Mets cap on Ohtani's head.