Pete Alonso surprised by heated reaction to his Bryce Elder comments: "I didn't think it'd be that offensive"

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso became the center of controversy after he was heard saying allegedly distasteful words to a Braves pitcher Bryce Elder.

Alonso, who was mic'd up during the game, was heard taunting Elder from the dugout after his mammoth hit. As an aftermath of his astounding homer, Alonso went to the dugout and shouted, “Throw it again, please” at the pitcher.

The incident took place after the Mets slugger added to his home run lead in MLB by hitting his 22nd homer off Elder during Tuesday's game.

SNY posted a video of Alonso saying that he didn’t mean it as an offense.

"Friendly competitive banter. I didn't think it'd be that offensive. When things can be twisted a certain way, it is what it is. It's part of playing in the major leagues" - Alonso said in the video.

Despite Alonso’s off-putting comment, the Elder refused to react and merely dismissed it by saying that he had not heard Alonso say anything like that. He also went on to say that if he was in place of the Mets slugger who had just registered such a gigantic homer, he would probably have done the same.

However, MLB fans didn't like what Alonso did, so the first baseman was subjected to negative feedback and criticism from fans on social media.

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Pete Alonso’s homer couldn’t help him save the day for the Mets

Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets reacts as he rounds third base after hitting a two-run homer in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 06, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Despite Alonso’s mammoth homer, the New York Mets couldn’t surpass the Braves and lost 6-4. They had an applaudable offense during Tuesday’s game, with Francisco Lindor registering a two-run homer followed by Pete Alonso’s home run.

Things got muffled for the Mets in the sixth inning when Sean Murphy butchered a two-run double followed by Marcell Ozuna’s double RBI. What followed was Orlando Arcia’s RBI single at the end of the sixth inning.

Orzuna followed it up with another RBI groundout that gave the Atlanta Braves the advantage they needed to win the game.

Pete Alonso became a New York Mets star from the very moment that he joined the franchise in 2019. Winning the Rookie of the Year award and being tagged as an All-Star twice in the span of his short MLB career is really commendable.

He delivered impressive performance in the 2022 season and finished as the NL RBI leader.