On June 17, 2023, the Mets couldn’t get much going offensively against veteran Adam Wainwright. Their three runs came courtesy of two homers off the bat of Brandon Nimmo and Luis Guillorme, but they fell 5-3. 

Luckily, the next day, their first baseman was back in the lineup. And he’d be penciled in for New York each game until his eventual departure for Baltimore. 

Pete Alonso has played in every game he could since June 18, 2023, a streak of 501 consecutive contests. Entering play on Saturday, it was the second-longest active streak in baseball, trailing just Matt Olson. And he was one of just three players in the game to have an active streak longer than 162. 

Being in the lineup each day is significant for any team around baseball. But it just means more in Baltimore. 

“I wish that I could say that I was a part of that,” Ryan Ripken joked. “But I’ll tell you what … I’d say probably nobody has more understanding than the Ripken family on what it means to show up each day.” 

You may recall that Ripken’s father, Cal Ripken Jr., holds the record for consecutive games played with 2,632. It’s a legacy central to the Orioles’ identity. 

“That’s up for a whole different conversation when you get into pro ball and you realize how ludicrous, ridiculous to actually do that when you’re in it,” Ryan joked. 

“You went to the ballpark and you’re wondering where guys are, where they’re gonna be, at the time you looked out at shortstop and there was Cal Ripken Jr. playing each and every night.” 

Now, each night at first base, there’s Pete Alonso. 

“It just means a lot to the city and everyone that watches,” Ripken said. “Pete Alonso, this is why he was brought in. Yeah, he hits a lot of homers, he’s going to drive in a lot of runs. But you can count on him. You can count on him being in there every single night. And sometimes we take that for granted, but then when that arises like you’re talking about now, you go ‘man, that’s awesome, and I feel a comfort knowing I can count on him each night.’” 

In those 500 games, Alonso racked up 465 hits, mashed 114 home runs, sixth-most in baseball over that stretch, and drove in 339, second-most. But it’s more than just the numbers that make an on-field impact. 

“I don’t know if you can fully quantify it,” Ripken said. “There’s something about when you know you’re going to look at the lineup each and every day and you know that that name is going to be probably in the same spot and playing that same position, that continuity goes a long way for everyone else.” 

Cal provided a similar reassurance for his guys. 

“Ben McDonald has talked about this in the past … if you ask Ben, he goes: ‘when I see Junior out there, I feel a little bit better.’ There’s this psychological advantage you can have,” Ripken said. “Players can take a little bit of a deeper breath. 

Who could you rely on day in and day out, for better or for worse. When the opportunity with my dad came about, he didn’t do it other than he felt that if he could play, he could help the team,” Ripken added. “If he was struggling at the plate, could he go out there and make the plays defensively. Could he instill confidence in the pitching staff. He felt like he not only owed it to the team, but he owed it to the city.” 

It took a decade and a half for Cal Ripken Jr. to break Lou Gherig’s Iron Man streak, and Alonso has more than a few games to go before reaching those heights. But in the Polar Bear, the Orioles have one of the few players in baseball that’s in there each and every day. 

That’s significant. Especially here. 

“By being out there each day, you become more with the city,” Ripken said. “And this Baltimore community cares deeply. I think it’s that connection that’s so special, and I think that’s why Pete has really connected with people, because he’s bringing back those same feelings.” 

For more, check out the full interview with Ryan Ripken here.