While the New York Mets didn’t make the playoffs in 2019, they had a very exciting season, with a fantastic run in August that almost took them to the postseason. Here are the most exciting moments of last year in Flushing:
The Mets’ seven most exciting moments of 2019
7. Pete Alonso establishes a new rookie record for home runs
In 2017, New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge hit 52 homers to establish a record for rookies. Just two years later, Mets’ slugger Pete Alonso surpassed him with his 53rd blast in the season’s penultimate game, on September 28 against the Atlanta Braves. Mike Foltynewicz was the victim, and Alonso said afterward that he was “overcome with emotion.”
6. August 9 walk-off win vs. Nationals
When the New York Mets were in a tight race for an NL Wild Card spot, they were facing the Washington Nationals on August 9. New York was down three runs entering the ninth inning, but Todd Frazier hit a three-run homer to tie the game. Shortly after that, Michael Conforto singled in the winning run against Sean Doolittle, and the Citi Field crowd erupted with joy. Pete Alonso ripped off Conforto’s jersey in an iconic moment. That was the Mets’ 14th win in their last 15 games.
5. A very good ending
The Mets, despite falling out of the race for a postseason berth in September, ended the season on a high note thanks to Dominic Smith. Out with injury since July, he returned to the active roster on the final weekend. However, the team wanted to give playing time to Alonso and that meant Smith didn’t play until the 11th inning of the final game. The wait was worth it: he deposited the ball in the stands for a three-run, walkoff home run against the Braves on September 29.
4. Guillorme ties it and Davis wins it
Arguably one of the most exciting moment of the Mets’ 2019 season took place on August 10, one day after another dramatic win. It was also against the Nats. Wilson Ramos and JD Davis went back to back to tie the game in the fourth frame. Then, in the eighth, Luis Guillorme tied the ballgame with an unlikely homer, and Davis won it with a sacrifice fly.
3. Alonso puts up the show in the Home Run Derby
In the July 8 Home Run Derby, Pete Alonso was the one stealing the show. He ended up beating Carlos Santana, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in succession to take home the honors and become the first Mets player, and the second Major League rookie, to win the competition. He donated $100,000 of his winnings to charity.
2. Syndergaard does it all
On May 2 vs. the Cincinnati Reds, Noah Syndergaard did it all. He was a true superhero back then: Thor threw a complete-game shutout and homered to give the victory to the Mets in the 1-0 affair. The feat was even rarer than a perfect game, as it was only the seventh time in history that it was achieved.
1.Davis walks it off vs. the Indians
On August 21, the Mets were fresh off winning 15 of the last 16, and with the walk-off win vs. the Cleveland Indians, they had reached another streak, with four straight celebrations. This time, JD Davis was the hero, with a drive to left field that ended up being a single, but that was all he needed to win the ballgame. The New York Mets were on fire.