Mets' Pete Alonso Gave MLB Permission to Mic Him at 1B in Quest to Grow Game
March 4, 2020
After being mic'd up during Wednesday's preseason game against the St. Louis Cardinals, we might be hearing more from New York Mets star Pete Alonso during regular-season games.
According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Alonso gave MLB approval to put a microphone on first base during games in the regular season in order to help grow the game. While the player wouldn't wear a microphone like he did Wednesday, the league would put a device near the bag to pick up audio.
Alonso provided some old-school play-by-play in the first inning when a Cardinals baserunner was caught stealing:
We could potentially hear more in-game commentary from the first baseman in 2020.
The 25-year-old discussed other exhibition scenarios where talking to the booth would be possible, including the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby:
However, he noted that it might be too difficult to provide commentary during regular-season games.
Still, Alonso is one of the top young stars in the game after winning Rookie of the Year in 2019 while hitting a league-leading 53 home runs. He was named to the All-Star Game and even won the Home Run Derby during the breakout season.
Any additional commentary from him could be a boost for the sport and his own popularity.