Mets drop struggling Pete Alonso below cleanup spot for first time in nearly four years

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Pete Alonso found himself in a strange spot Monday — and not just at Busch Stadium, where the Mets made up a rained-out game from May in a one-day sojourn to Missouri as part of a hectic road trip.

Alonso, who has lived in the cleanup hole and had stops at Nos. 2 and 3 over the past few seasons, was bumped down to No. 5 for the first time in nearly four years.

Manager Carlos Mendoza wrote off lowering his slumping slugger in the order as a possible aberration created by Cardinals righty starter Andre Pallante, who has been far worse against righty hitters this season, and righty-hitting Tyrone Taylor hammering righty pitching this year.

Thus, Taylor — a quality player but generally a fourth outfielder on the Mets — batted second, below Francisco Lindor and above Brandon Nimmo and J.D. Martinez, and came through with a bases-clearing double in the fifth inning.

“Just wanted to give the lineup a different look today,” Mendoza said before the 6-0 win and before the club will face southpaw Kyle Freeland in Colorado on Tuesday. “Maybe [Tuesday] we’re facing a lefty, and Pete’s back there in the four hole.”

The Mets have to endure a grueling road trip and the cracks showing in the lineup

Yet, the move — even if it lasts just one day — was significant enough to warrant a conversation with Alonso both on the team plane Sunday night and in the manager’s office Monday.

Alonso took the development well.

“I want to win,” said Alonso, who had not batted below fourth in a starting lineup since Sept. 26, 2020. “And I trust him to run out the best lineup every single day.”

Mendoza believed the best lineup involved one of the faces of the club, a four-time All-Star and a player who entered play tied with Aaron Judge for the majors’ most home runs (215) since 2019, in a less-premium slot.

Mets’ Tyrone Taylor makes Carlos Mendoza look like ‘genius’ after lineup shakeup

Alonso has picked a poor time for a down season. After going 1-for-3 with a single (he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double) and a walk while batting fifth, the 29-year-old carries a .790 OPS — his career mark was .870 entering this season — and is 3-for-20 in his past six games, lowering his average to .241.

His power has been present (23 home runs in his first 112 games), but not to the same degree as past seasons, having smoked 46 last year. Alonso looked on the bright side.

“I’m on pace for close to 40 homers,” said Alonso, whose 162-game pace was about 33.5. “I was an All-Star this year. So I think to beat myself up or be frustrated, there’s really no use.

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“I’m really excited for the end of the year, where we get to play winning baseball. … I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished this year so far, and I think that there’s definitely going to be some opportunities that I’m looking forward to capitalizing on.”

An RBI machine for most of his six-year career, Alonso has particularly struggled in key moments in 2024, owning a .198 average with runners in scoring position.

In his first five seasons, Alonso — who prides himself on being an all-around hitter and not just a home-run threat — batted .262 in such situations.

Alonso shrugged off the overall dip in numbers.

His manager believes his statline at the end of the season will be more in line with what it has been in past years.

“He’s still going to hit 40-some homers,” Mendoza said. “I’m not worried about Pete. He’s a great hitter.”

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