SHERE……..

New York Mets star Pete Alonso was hit by a pitch in the neck by Los Angeles Angels reliever José Soriano during Saturday’s game at Citi Field, leading to a benches-clearing exchange of words and a brief moment of tension between the two teams.

The incident occurred in the bottom of the eighth inning when Soriano’s first pitch of the inning, an 86-mph curveball, struck Alonso near the back of the neck. Alonso, who has been hit by a pitch 17 times this season, the most in the National League, briefly remained on the ground before getting up and exchanging words with Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe. This prompted both benches to clear, but no physical altercations occurred.

After the incident, Alonso was removed from the game for a pinch-runner and passed concussion testing. Mets manager Buck Showalter indicated that Alonso shouldn’t require additional testing, but the team’s star slugger was visibly frustrated by the hit.

The hit-by-pitch was the latest in a long line of similar incidents for Alonso, who has been hit by pitches multiple times in recent years. His teammates, including Francisco Lindor, expressed support for Alonso and acknowledged the frustration that comes with being hit so frequently.

The Mets, who lead the National League in hit batters, have been hit 83 times this season, second only to the Seattle Mariners (90). The team’s frequent involvement in hit-by-pitch incidents has led to discussions about how to prevent such occurrences and the potential for retaliation.

Despite the tension, both teams maintained that the hit was unintentional, with Angels manager Phil Nevin stating, “It was a breaking ball and you’re not trying to hit anybody.” The incident serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between competition and safety in professional baseball.

**Additional Context:**

– Pete Alonso has been hit by a pitch 17 times this season, the most in the National League.
– The Mets have been hit by a pitch 83 times this season, second only to the Seattle Mariners (90).
– Alonso has been hit by a pitch multiple times in recent years, including twice in a month last season.
– The incident highlights the ongoing issue of hit-by-pitches in professional baseball and the need for a solution to prevent such incidents from occurring.
– The Mets’ frequent involvement in hit-by-pitch incidents has led to discussions about how to prevent such occurrences and the potential for retaliation.