Pete Alonso's record-setting rookie season for the New York Mets was capped off with one of Major League Baseball's highest honors.
Alonso, the 24-year-old first baseman whose 53 home runs eclipsed Aaron Judge's record total from 2017, was named the NL Rookie of the Year on Monday by a vote of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Alonso received first-place votes on 29 of 30 ballots. Atlanta Braves pitcher Mike Soroka got the other first-place vote. Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres finished third.
Here are the full standings, via the BBWAA. You can find individual ballots on their site.
Alonso is now the sixth Mets player to win the Rookie of the Year award and the first since Jacob deGrom in 2014. The Mets group also includes Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, along with Jon Matlack, Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry. That's a star-studded group.
Alonso played in 161 games, posting a very respectable .260/.358/.583 batting line to accompany his overwhelming power production.
Despite Alonso's record-setting numbers, the NL race would have been much closer had Fernando Tatis Jr. not been limited to 84 games by injury. The 20-year-old put up massive numbers, hitting .317/.379/.590 to go along with 22 home runs, 53 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. A 40-40 season, which has only been accomplished four other times in MLB history, was not out of the question for Tatis had he played a full season.
Soroka would have been a stronger contender in other seasons as well. The Braves 22-year-old right-hander will undoubtedly receive some points in the Cy Young voting after posting a 2.68 ERA in 29 starts.
In the end, there was only one choice that could be made. That choice was Pete Alonso.
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