New York Mets star Pete Alonso was plunked by a fastball during Tuesday night’s game against the Atlanta Braves, and the home fans seemed quite pleased about it.
Braves right-hander Bryce Elder drilled Alonso in the middle of the back during the top of the fourth inning of Atlanta’s 3-2 win. Braves fans at Truist Park erupted with cheers as Alonso made his way down to first base.
Braves Fans CHEERED after Pete Alonso was hit-by-pitch pic.twitter.com/IqLnqO0hK9
— DJCSportsMedia (@358Baseball) August 23, 2023
The reaction was similar to the one we saw back in June when Braves pitcher Charlie Morton hit Alonso on the wrist with a 97-mph fastball.
Braves fans erupt in cheers after Pete Alonso gets hit by a pitch and removed from the game pic.twitter.com/3skxVNVnpc
— Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) June 7, 2023
Alonso spent 10 days on the injured list after being hit by the pitch in June. Morton apologized to Alonso after the game.
Some have speculated that the Braves are throwing at Alonso intentionally. On June 6, the day before Morton hit Alonso, the Mets star blasted a 448-foot home run off of Elder in New York’s 10-4 win over the Braves on Monday. After that homer, Alonso was caught on a hot mic in the dugout shouting, “Throw it again, please!” You can see the video here.
Elder claimed after that game that he did not hear Alonso, but the pitcher said he would be bragging too if he hit a ball that far. Following his latest plunking on Tuesday, Alonso downplayed the idea that the Braves were retaliating.
“It was just baseball, a fastball got away from him,” he said, via Ted Holmlund of the New York Post.
Alonso is batting .224 with 39 home runs and 95 RBI this season. He has been the subject of trade rumors in what has turned out to be a disappointing season for the Mets.
