After blasting homers in his last two games -- including his MLB-leading 49th of the season on Wednesday -- Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is now on pace to tie Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge's rookie home run record of 52.
Judge hit those 52 homers for the Yankees in 2017 during a season where he slashed .284/.422/.627 and finished second in American League MVP voting to Jose Altuve.
With 10 games left in the season, Alonso is now projected to hit 52 homers, according to ESPN.
After briefly moving ahead of Judge's record pace on Sept. 9, Alonso went into a deep slump that included going 0-for-21 and not hitting a homer for seven-straight games.
Alonso emerged from his slump at Coors Field and now heads to Cincinnati to face the Reds for three games in another ballpark that is in the Top 10 when it comes to most homers hit per game.
The ball notoriously flies out in Cincinnati, aided by a gap/wind tunnel in the stands on the third-base side of the ballpark.
After their three-game series in Cincinnati, the Mets wrap up the regular season at home against the Marlins (four games) and Braves (three games). And that series against the Marlins could provide another boost for Alonso.
The Marlins -- despite playing their home games in spacious Marlins Park, have allowed the eighth-most home runs in baseball this season (214).
Meanwhile, while Alonso needs to hit four more homers to break Judge's record, he won't have to go on the unconscious run Judge went on in 2017.
With 10 games left in the 2017 season, Judge had hit only 44 home runs. He then smashed eight over his last 10 games to wind up with 52 to break the rookie record. That record had been held for 30 years by Mark McGwire, who hit 49 homers for the Athletics in 1987.
Alonso has already shattered the Mets' all-time single-season home run record, which had been held by Todd Hundley and Carlos Beltran, who hit 41 homers in 1996 and 2006, respectively.