And so, Peter Alonso, as he was often called back then, entered professional baseball as a relative afterthought. The MLB Network broadcast compared him to CJ Cron. This was a hulking slugger with question marks, a middling athlete with a high offensive bar to clear. Consider it cleared.

Alonso is in his seventh year in the big leagues, all of which have been with the Mets. After he powered New York to an NLCS appearance in 2024, it was unclear whether Alonso would have the chance to break Strawberry’s record. He was a free agent this past offseason but ultimately re-signed with the Mets on a two-year deal.