Pete Alonso staring down Mets end as slump threatens playoff run

MILWAUKEE — A certain Polar Bear’s return from hibernation wa💜s high on the Mets wish list as they considered the task ahead of them Thursday night.

Pete Alonso’s roar has been muted for weeks, and if the💛 Mets were going to extend their season with a Game 3 victory over the Brewers in the NL Wild Card Series, it would help to have their slugging first baseman i🌼nvolved.

Alonso entered play without a h💮omer since Sept. 19, when he went deep against the Phillies.

That blast was also the last extra-base hit for Alonso, who was 1-❀for-5 (.200) in the wild-card series as pla🧸y began.

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He walked three times in the Game 1 Mets victory.

“I feel like ༺I am taking pretty dec🦩ent at-bats and I feel really consistent,” Alonso said. “I just need to keep swinging and good things will happen.”

Alonso, who is headed to free agency after the World Series, was possibly playing hi🧸s last ga🍸me in a Mets uniform on Thursday.

It’s a thought he says hadn’t entered his head until he was asked ab🌟out it.

“I rea♓lly don’t want to think about that at all,” Alonso said. “My whole focus is going deep into the pl൩ayoffs.”

Alonso won’t be hitting theꦡ market on the ✱upswing: He produced a solid but unspectacular .240/.329/.459 slash line with 34 homers and 88 RBIs during the regular season.

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The home run total was﷽ the lowest of his career for a full season.

Manager Carlos Mendoza, before Thursday’sꦇ game, was asked if he felt Alonso has put too much pressure on himself.

“I don’t see that and I don’t feel that,” Mendoza said. “He’s the same guy. Yeah, it’s been hard for him the whole year and it’s definitely been hard for him the last two or three weeks, but I like the way he is controlling t🉐he ꩵstrike zone.

“He is one swing away, but I don’t see him trying to do too m🔯uch or panicking or putting too much pressure on himself, I don’t see that. I see the same guy th🙈at is keeping it loose.”

The Mets received late homers from Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor in overtaking the Braves on Monday in the first game of 🦩a dꦿoubleheader to clinch a wild-card berth.

The Mets did not homer in the nightcap or in the first two games of their series against the Brewers🐟.

That lack of pop 🏅only undersco♑red Alonso’s recent struggles.

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“It doesn’t feel like he has lost confidence,” Lindor said. “I༒t looks like he is working and working to be better. I think he feels he had a good year.”

Lindor w🎃as asked if he thought Alonso’s looming free agency had weighed on him.

“I haven’t seen that at all,” Lindor said.

The difference foꦆr the Mets between a productive Pete Alonso and non-productive one is the gap that exists between a polar bear and cub.

“He’s a guy that can carry a team,” Mendoza said.

There was still time for Alon൲so as the Mets finished batting practice at American Family Field and r🗹etreated to their clubhouse for final Game 3 preparations.

If the Mets were fortunate enough to advance to the NLDS against the Phillies, two games in the launching pad known as Citizens Bank Park awaited, and the possibility Alonso would have a fri🎃endly༒ environment.

“Homers are going to happen,” Alonso said. “I think if 🌸we just continue collectively as a group to hit the ball hard when they come over the middle of the dish, the homers will happen.”