If there were any doubt regarding how much the Mets have relied on Pete Alonso’s bat, it was erased during their recent four-game losing streak.
During those four games, the previously red-hot first baseman didn’t get a hit, going 0-for-16 with six strikeouts.
And when Alonso rebounded with a two-hit, two-RBI game on Thursday, the Mets — not surprisingly — snapped their losing streak and had their biggest offensive outburst in a week.
Though it’s to be expected that, since Alonso drives the Mets and is in the midst of an excellent start, the degree to which the team’s fate is tied to his success is striking.
In the Mets’ 15 wins this year, Alonso has an OPS of 1.176, seven homers, 10 walks, 13 strikeouts and 19 RBIs in 70 plate appearances.
Alonso, who has played every game this season, has been as ineffective in the Mets’ 12 losses as he has been dominant in their victories.
In 46 plate appearances in losses, Alonso’s numbers are strikingly poor: an OPS of .486, three homers, one walk, 14 strikeouts and six RBIs.
The wild disparity is uncharacteristic for Alonso and the Mets.
For his career, Alonso has an OPS of 1.001 in Mets wins and .741 in losses — a significant difference, but nothing like the team is seeing this year.
And Brandon Nimmo — also in the midst of a superb first month after signing an eight-year, $162 million deal in the offseason — has had a similar start, with an OPS of 1.157 in wins and just .483 in defeats.
Since Alonso and Nimmo can’t be expected to carry the offense every night, the more pressing issue is much of the rest of the lineup, which hasn’t been good enough.
Jeff McNeil has been his usual hit machine and Francisco Lindor has been solid again, but there’s little beyond that — Mark Canha, Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar and Tommy Pham are all having down years at the plate.
The only major injury to impact the lineup has been to catcher Omar Narvaez, who has been out for nearly a month with a strained calf.
The wild fluctuations in production have left the Mets in the middle of the pack in most offensive categories but has left them prone to uncompetitive games. They’ve already been shut out five times this season, following a year in which they suffered shutouts just eight times — and none before June 2.
The lineup issues have been more pronounced recently, with three of the shutouts coming in their past 10 games — though the one Friday was a rain-shortened, five-inning affair against Atlanta.
They’ve also lost five of their past six games and been held to one run or fewer in each of their last three defeats.
It’s easy to see why the Mets have struggled when Alonso, in particular, hasn’t produced.
They are 19th in the majors with 27 homers on the season.
That already relatively unimpressive ranking would sink to tied for 27th — and ahead of just Cleveland and Washington — without Alonso’s 10 home runs, second in the majors only to Max Muncy of the Dodgers, who entered Saturday with 11.
There could be help from some rookies, with Brett Baty hitting well over the past week since his call-up from Triple-A Syracuse and Francisco Alvarez showing improvement at the plate.
There also are some potential bats on the horizon, with Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio producing at Triple-A after getting long looks at major league camp in spring training.