New York Mets’ manager Carlos Mendoza has made a surprising change to the lineup for Monday’s makeup game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
For the first time in nearly four years, Pete Alonso will bat in the lower half of the lineup. Normally a cleanup hitter, Alonso will now bat fifth, with J.D. Martinez taking the fourth spot. This adjustment comes after a July where Alonso had a .725 OPS and follows a recent slump where the Mets scored only 16 runs over five games.
“I want to win, and I trust Mendoza to choose the best lineup,” Alonso told reporters Monday. “I’m on pace for close to 40 homers, I was an All-Star this year , so there’s no point in being frustrated. I’m excited for winning baseball at season’s end.”
Lineup Changes:
Alonso has had a solid season with a 125 OPS+, though it’s lower than his peak performance. His home run count stands at 23 through 111 games, projecting to about 34 over a full season—his lowest full-season total yet (excluding the shortened COVID-19 season).
Fans might think this move is risky but necessary given recent struggles.
Alonso is also in his final contract year before free agency, with no extension talks making progress. Right-handed first basemen like him often face tough free-agent markets, especially if their stats show signs of decline.
The Mets are currently at 58-53 and have lost two straight games. They are just 1.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the last wild-card spot in the National League. Mendoza is trying everything he can to push for that playoff spot—even changing up long-standing roles.
What do you think about these changes?
