"It's been an honor to have a good seat to watch him" - Buck Showalter heaps praise on Pete Alonso for setting franchise single-season RBI record

New York Mets manager Buck Showalter was full of praise for first baseman Pete Alonso, who set a new franchise record for RBIs in a single season.

Showalter spoke to the press after Alonso surpassed the previous mark of 124 set by Hall of Famer Mike Piazza in 1999 and tied by David Wright in 2008. He said:

"Good. Obviously, he's been doing things like that all year. It's been an honor to have a good seat to watch him and a lot of guys. He just keeps on pushing, just the way these guys are never satisfied."

Despite RBIs being seen as a team statistic, Alonso has surely been impressive all season, showcasing a wide array of skills and talent in the Mets' season. Alonso's 128 RBIs lead the National League, with the Cardinals' Paul Goldschmidt currently second with 112. He is also tied with Aaron Judge for the most in the Majors.

Pete Alonso is 16 clear of the Cardinals' Paul Goldschmidt in the RBIs list

The Mets were comfortable winners over the Oakland Athletics, winning 13-4 in their last game. They now hold a healthy lead over the Atlanta Braves with eight games remaining in the season in the NL East division.

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Pete Alonso thanks Mets teammates after achieving incredible feat

Alonso could become the second Mets player in history to finish the season leading the NL in RBIs, after two-time All-Star infielder Howard Johnson. The 27-year-old was honored to finally reach the feat after missing out in the previous two games. Showalter and the Mets will be hoping Alonso continues his fine form as the postseason gets underway in two weeks' time. He said:

"It's a huge honor. I wouldn't be able to be in this position without my teammates. All year, they've been putting together unbelievable at-bats. I feel blessed and honored to have the record, but without them, I wouldn't be able to get it done...That's why we play, is to see who can score the most runs." (via MLB)

With Pete Alonso firing on all cylinders this season, the Mets are close to winning their first division title since 2015. This month alone, the Spaniard has blasted eight homers and driven in 23 runs, while hitting .270 with 155 hits, 39 homers, 128 RBIs and 90 runs scored in 153 games in his last season.