Minutes after the Mets lost a 4-0 game to the Padres on Monday, Pete Alonso sat at his locker, as he often does, writing longform notes on the pitchers he faced in the game. On this day, his book included an entry on Chris Paddack, the brash, flame-throwing right-hander who blanked the Mets over 7 2/3 innings.
Before the game, Paddack relished the chance of facing Alonso, calling him “a great player” in an interview with The Athletic, but adding: “I’m coming for him. We’ll see Monday who the top dog is.”
Paddack then backed up his words not only with strikeouts, but additional bluster. Whiffing Alonso twice in his first two at-bats, Paddack pumped his fist animatedly both times in celebration. The Mets’ dugout took notice, with at least one player saying privately that the team did not appreciate Paddack’s gestures.
Alonso made his grievances public.
“I know what he said,” Alonso said. “To me, it doesn't sit well. And for us as a team, it definitely sucks. It definitely sucks after this one. Definitely a sour taste for sure. But I don't think one game necessarily tells the whole story. This season is a marathon, not a sprint.
“He’s allowed to say what he wants. He wanted me and he got me tonight, simple as that. It kind of fired me up and it was going to be a good matchup, and I didn't answer the bell. I had a couple guys on base when I was up and I didn't do the job tonight. It's not good. That's not a good feeling. It's a really tough pill to swallow.”
Mets.com:
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