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Jorge Castillo, ESPN Staff Writer
ARLINGTON, Tex. — The New York Mets occupying a playoff spot at the All-Star break would’ve been a laughable notion six weeks ago, but that’s where the club finds itself after going from league laughingstock in May to spawning the league’s best vibes in June.
The stunning reversal has produced a 49-46 record, good for the third and final Wild Card Spot in a relatively weak National League. It’s also flipped the team’s expectations for the July 30 trade deadline from likely seller to probable buyer.
For now, at least.
Pete Alonso, the club’s only All-Star selection, insisted Monday that the next two weeks are pivotal in convincing the front office to add players for a postseason run. Alonso, an impending free agent, understands the stakes better than anyone; he knows he could land on the trading block if the Mets stumble out of the break.
“I’m super happy to be a Met, super proud to be a Met,” Alonso said Monday at Globe Life Field before participating in his fifth career Home Run Derby. “And, again, it’s just been awesome. I’d love to stay, and I don’t want to get traded. I love it. It’s home.”
Alonso, 29, is a homegrown star. He was the Mets’ second-round pick out of Florida in 2016. Three years later, he clubbed 53 home runs, claimed the National League Rookie of the Year Award, was named an All-Star, and won the Home Run Derby.
He’s now a four-time All-Star and beloved fan favorite. But he’s going to reach free agency this winter after he and the organization weren’t able to come to an agreement on a contract extension before this season. As a result, Alonso entered the season knowing Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns could choose to trade him if the postseason wasn’t a real possibility.
Reaching the playoffs seemed like a fantasy when just about everything was going wrong and the Mets were 24-35 on June 2. They’re 25-11 since then, buoyed by a suddenly explosive lineup with Alonso in the middle of it.
The Mets have already addressed their most glaring weakness — the bullpen — by acquiring veteran right-hander Phil Maton last week. The relief corps remains the department in most need of upgrades. The next two weeks will decide the Mets’ fate.
“Right now there’s a lot that could happen [before the trade deadline] and whatever the front office and ownership decides to do, that’s their prerogative,” Alonso said. “But, for me, my job is to do whatever I can to help win ballgames every single day.
“And I love this organization. I love this city so I just want to do the best I can every single night for the guys in the clubhouse and fans.”