From Grimace to The Playoff Pumpkin, Mets' good luck charms explained
Jessica Camerato
@jessicacameratoPHILADELPHIA -- After Wild Card hero Pete Alonso pummeled the game-winning, three-run home run to boost the Mets into the National League Division Series, the slugger caught attention among the postseason celebration for the orange circular object in his left hand.
It wasn¡¯t a baseball.
¡°It¡¯s ¡®The Playoff Pumpkin,¡¯¡± Alonso explained.
A literal pumpkin.
¡°Nothing¡¯s more fall than playoff baseball and pumpkins,¡± Alonso said.
Obviously.
Alonso¡¯s hand-picked souvenir from a Milwaukee-area farm became the latest symbol of the Mets¡¯ 2024 season that has been filled with iconic moments and mementos, culminating in a whirlwind playoff push.
¡°I really don't know what to think of it,¡± manager Carlos Mendoza said with a laugh on Friday. ¡°I'm honest with you. Whatever it takes. We¡¯ve been through a lot and people are giving credit to so many different people and this and that. I see it as we got good players, we've got great people, and we are just going to continue to have fun and continue to ride the wave, see what happens.¡±
Grimace: Est. June 12, 2024
The Mets were 28-37 and 17 1/2 games back entering the June 12 matchup against the Marlins. That night, the iconic purple McDonald¡¯s character threw out the first pitch at Citi Field.
The Mets won, 10-4. And then they kept winning.
The Mets went on a seven-game streak following Grimace¡¯s first pitch, and they won 12 of 16 to close out the month.
The lore of Grimace stayed with the Mets into the postseason. Alonso was wearing customized purple Grimace cleats when he hit the go-ahead homer at American Family Field.
OMG: Est. June 28, 2024
During the Grimace momentum, the Mets improved to above .500 (40-39) for the first time since early May with a 7-2 victory at home over the Astros.
Thirty-four-year-old infielder Jose Iglesias, who had been called up from Triple-A one month earlier, showed off his lyrical skills with a postgame performance of his feel-good single, ¡°OMG.¡± Iglesias, known musically as Candelita, stepped onto the infield and delivered a dynamic rendition in full Mets uniform while his teammates gathered around and sang in support.
Not only did Iglesias rise to No. 1 on Billboard¡¯s Latin Digital Song Sales in July, he provided the Mets with their anthem of the summer as they battled into a Wild Card spot. Just in time for the postseason, he will release the ¡°OMG¡± remix featuring Pitbull and Silvestre Dangond on Oct. 11.
Playoff Pumpkin: Est. Oct. 3, 2024
Alonso selected the ¡°Playoff Pumpkin¡± just like he selected the changeup from Brewers closer Devin Williams that drove in Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo in the ninth inning on Thursday.
¡°I picked it myself,¡± Alonso said.
It is fitting the Mets debuted a new good luck charm for the postseason, especially after their dramatic comeback to advance to the NLDS.
¡°It¡¯s something that along our journey we've picked up,¡± left-hander David Peterson said on Friday. ¡°We've had stuff throughout the season and [it¡¯s] just another one of those little things that is part of the group now and is getting attention. I think it's all in good fun for us and just continuing to keep up the good spirit that we've had and continue to enjoy the ride.¡±