Pete Alonso to get shot at Home Run Derby redemption with rematch vs. Julio Rodriguez

Pete Alonso will get a chance at Home Run Derby redemption on Monday night in Seattle.

The Mets first baseman will get a rematch against Julio Rodriguez after the Seattle Mariners outfielder beat Alonso last year in the Home Run Derby at Dodger Stadium.

Alonso, who had won the event back-to-back in 2019 and 2021 (there were no All-Star festivities in 2020), was bested in the semifinals in 2022 when he was outslugged 31-23.

Rodriguez lost in the final to then-Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, 19-18.

Alonso, the Mets’ lone All-Star representative, has 25 home runs this year, good for the No. 2 seed in the slugfest. Rodriguez, the No. 7 seed, has 13 homers thus far in his sophomore season after he belted 28 in his 2022 American League Rookie of the Year campaign.

Jeff McNeil’s approach at the plate over the last week has reminded Mets officials of his hitting in 2022, when he thrived for much of the season.

Taking baby steps, the veteran utilityman, who went 0-for-4 Wednesday in the Mets’ 2-1 win over the Diamondbacks, is in the midst of a 6-for-23 (.261) stretch that includes three extra-base hits.

Overall, McNeil has a disappointing .256/.330/.328 slash line, with three homers and 24 RBIs.

“When McNeil is driving the ball the other way good things are happening,” hitting coach Jeremy Barnes said. “That is probably one of the big focuses.

“There is a large element to a lot of our guys of just some bad luck happening, but for him it’s just making sure we’re not sliding underneath the ball, just hitting line drives and taking hits as they come.”

Barnes added that McNeil’s second-half spike last season to win the National League batting title with a .326 average is reason enough to believe he can revert to his previous form.

McNeil had a .300/.363/.418 slash line in the first half last season. After the All-Star break, his slash line was .356/.404/.494.

“He came back and lit the world on fire in the second half so hopefully we get the same thing,” Barnes said.

Francisco Alvarez established a Mets rookie record for a catcher by hitting his 14th home run Tuesday and added to it with his 15th on Wednesday to tie the score in the ninth inning.

Alvarez previously shared the record with Travis d’Arnaud, who set the mark in 2014.

Tommy Pham, who went 1-for-4, is 38-for-107 (.355) since May 28 and entered Wednesday with a 1.072 OPS during that stretch, which led all Mets players.

The veteran outfielder ranked third in MLB in OPS and fourth in batting average over that stretch.

Pham also was leading the Mets with a .341 average with runners in scoring position for the season.