Understandably, SNY play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen’s voice will forever be associated with the image of All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso circling the bases after becoming the New York Mets’ all-time home run leader on Tuesday night.
A jubilant Cohen wasn’t the only one on the microphone at Citi Field, however. Those listening to the radio broadcast heard Keith Raad call Alonso’s 253rd career home run, a third-inning shot off Spencer Strider.
“It is gone! A missile into right center field,” Raad said. “A two-run home run and history. Number 253 for Pete Alonso. All alone as the franchise leader in home runs.”
Every single broadcast call of Pete Alonso becoming the Mets franchise all-time home run leader.
— Rich MacLeod (@richmacleod) August 13, 2025
Includes Spanish call & Braves broadcasts. pic.twitter.com/phkoVtNaW0
Raad filled in for longtime Mets radio announcer Howie Rose, who praised Raad’s home run call on X/Twitter.
“This one is splendid with many more to come,” Rose wrote. “I’m thrilled he has this slice of Mets broadcast history.”
Raad also got to call Alonso’s 254th home run, a sixth-inning blast against lefty Austin Cox.
Where does Pete Alonso rank among the greatest players in Mets history?
Alonso surpassed Darryl Strawberry, who is widely considered one of the greatest players in Mets history, as the club’s all-time home run king. Although Alonso signed a two-year, $54 million deal earlier this year, he can opt out following season’s end — and, as a soon-to-be 31-year-old whose .880 OPS is his highest since 2019, he should command more interest than he did last winter.
Whether he finishes with 260 or 450 home runs in a Mets uniform, Alonso has definitely joined Strawberry among the franchise’s most memorable and successful (at least, individually) players. As of publication, Alonso’s 22.9 bWAR ranks 17th in Mets history, narrowly ahead of teammate Jeff McNeil’s 22.7. Alonso’s fellow infielder, shortstop Francisco Lindor, owns a 24.1 bWAR since joining the Mets ahead of the 2021 season.
Only seven players have topped 30 bWAR in a Mets uniform, and just three — Strawberry (36.6), David Wright (49.1), and Carlos Beltrán (31.1) — were hitters. Unsurprisingly, Tom Seaver leads all Mets with 78.8 bWAR, a record we don’t see falling within the coming years.
Admittedly, bWAR isn’t always the best way to grade where players rank, especially when discussing them in the context of an all-time team. Plenty will likely argue that longtime third baseman Howard Johnson, who totaled 22.0 bWAR from 1985-93, had a better Mets career than Alonso; Johnson totaled three 30-30 seasons and played on the 1986 championship team.
Either way, we don’t envision many Mets fans disputing Alonso’s place as one of the best sluggers in franchise history. Next up for Alonso isn’t just home run No. 255, but bringing home the team’s first World Series title in nearly 40 years.