Alonso, the League of Nations Player of the Month, continued to fire in May

On Friday evening, the major leagues announced that Pete Alonso had been named the National League's March/April Player of the Month. And the encore of this heavy gunner has just begun -

Marcos Alonso scored the game-winning two-pointer in the fifth game at Busch Stadium on Friday, injecting a crucial blow into what was still a stalemate at the time. In the end, the Mets defeated the Cardinals 9-3 with four points in the fifth game and two points in the seventh game, and won all five games against the latter this season.

When there was a man on second base after five innings, Alonso sent his eighth hit of the season to the outfield stands. He hit 2 hits in 5 hits and pushed his batting average to a staggering 0.345 (2nd in the National League, far surpassing his career best of 0.271 in 2022). His 30-point RBIs ranked second in the National League and tied for seventh in home runs.

"The Monthly Championship is well deserved," said teammate Brandon Nimmo, "and it's the culmination of his offseason hard work." Far from being a flash in the pan, it is a continuous highlight. "

Nemo started the game and Clay Holmes ended the losing streak with a quality starter, but the brightest moment was Alonso, who batted 0.343/0.475/0.657 in March/April, and contributed 7 hits, 11 second base hits and 28 RBIs, a career-best monthly performance. Since signing a two-year, $54 million proof contract (including a post-season breakout clause), Alonso has improved his attacking stats.

The refinement of the batting strategy is at the heart of the transformation: a career-high keep rate, a new low strikeout rate, and devastating blows to good balls. Its strong batting rate and sweet click rate are not only better than last year, but also among the best in the league. Even the speed of the stick has been improved from the original elite, which Alonso attributes to the improvement of the mechanics and the balance of the strike.

"It's not about developing new skills," Alonso explains, "it's about streamlining your movements to be more efficient." "

Specifically, the improved body control allows it to better maintain a striking stance, extend the time it takes to observe the ball, and accurately screen the incoming ball. Coach Carlos Mendoza commented: "His mastery of the good ball belt is the best of his career. When Alonso locked onto the area of attack, it was almost impossible to solve him. "

Continued output will determine two key factors: one is the price of jumping out of the contract and entering the free market after the season; The second is the team's record. The Mets went 7-1 when Alonso fired, and even if Juan Soto wasn't in the groove yet, his heavy artillery could still support the line.

"I never strive for perfection," Alonso said, "but I always aim for perfection." "