Mets' Pete Alonso confident two-HR game can help him get going offensively

The New York Mets climbed back into the National League playoff picture this summer, although All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso has routinely left much to be desired offensively.

Alonso hit a pair of home runs in New York's 9-1 win at the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, and he suggested after the victory he "for sure" can get hot coming off those swings.

"[Over] the course of the season there's ebbs and flows, [but], again, ultimately, I just want to help the team win," Alonso said, as SNY's Ben Krimmel shared. "I just want to help the team win. Hopefully, I can continue to do that and I just want to be the best I can every single day. Help get this team to the playoffs."

Alonso allegedly pressing while in the final year of his contract first became a hot topic this past spring, and the 29-year-old entered Thursday's contest on pace to hit the fewest homers he's ever slugged over a full (non-pandemic-shortened) campaign. He began Friday batting .246 with 25 home runs and 63 RBI on the season but thinks he can reach 40 total round-trippers by the time game No. 162 concludes.

"Honestly, I just want to keep having good at-bats and do the best I can," Alonso added. "Just stick to my plan, stick to my approach. Homers can be happy accidents just the result of swinging and capitalizing on a good pitch, hitting it hard to the big part of the field."

Alonso has repeatedly insisted he isn't putting "any sort of pressure on" himself regarding the fact that he remains on track to reach free agency after the season. While some understandably have wondered if he's lowered the value of his next contract with his play this year, the New York Post's Jon Heyman mentioned on Thursday night that the popular "Polar Bear" still "has plenty of fits outside Queens."

Specifically, Heyman linked Alonso with the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners and the Rockies.

New York ended Thursday's MLB action in the NL's last wild-card spot of the standings. As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the 61-54 Mets at +105 betting odds to make the playoffs.

First-year Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters on Thursday that Alonso "can carry a team for quite a bit." Mendoza will hope to see that version of the slugger when the Mets open a three-game series at the Seattle Mariners (60-56) on Friday night.