On Sunday, Pete Alonso saw the Mets champion’s retired number as Dwight Gooden’s No. 16 was unveiled on the left field overhang at Citi Field.
Darryl Strawberry’s jersey number 18 will be retired on June 1st.
Alonso, the most likely candidate among the current Mets to receive such an honor, was asked if he ever imagined looking out into left field and seeing his No. 20 displayed. .
“It’s going to be special,” Alonso told the Post. “But I don’t think that’s at the forefront of my mind because I’m still in the early stages of my career and I want to play as long as these guys.”
Alonso pointed out that most of the Mets’ retired players were part of the World Series winning team or at least played multiple postseason games with the organization.
And with Alonso heading into free agency, he will almost certainly need to extend his relationship with the organization long-term in order to one day see his number retired.
Team owner Steve Cohen said negotiations with Alonso would not take place until after the season.
Alonso said the idea of playing his entire career with the Mets was appealing.
“It’s definitely something I’ve been thinking about and it’s incredibly special,” he said. “That’s very rare in today’s game. It’s a very select few that can do that.
“It’s very rare to start and finish with a team like David.” [Wright]. Speaking of hometown players, Derek Jeter is also a New York native.aaron [Judge], and it’s hard, not just to sign a contract, but to be successful for that long and be loved and sought after in a certain place for a long time. But it is an honor and must be earned. ”
Does Alonso feel loved by Mets fans?
“100 percent,” he said. “But over time as players with numbers retire, they’ve been at it a lot longer than I have. It would be special for me to think about it, but I’m a top player. I want to play as long as these players, so that’s not at the forefront of my mind.”
J.D. Martinez, who received a cortisone injection last week for lower back tightness, will resume training on Monday, coach Carlos Mendoza said.
According to Mendoza, Martinez will likely hit to a tee and work toward returning to minor league play before being considered for activation by the Mets.
