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The MVP of the first-place Mets, and maybe the National League, too, is Pete Alonso. 

The Mets’ second MVP might be the fellow who brought back Alonso, owner Steve Cohen, who’s paying Alonso $30 million (never mind the $33M in luxury tax). 

But the third MVP just might be a more anonymous fellow, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, who’s the leader of baseball’s best and most surprising pitching staff. The Mets’ starting rotation was supposed to be the question mark of an otherwise strong team, especially after their two highest-paid starters — Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas — went out with injuries in spring. 

Just to be clear: That’s only my own MVP thought. It’s definitely not from Hefner, who emphatically batted back the idea of him as team MVP candidate before a rare bullpen blowup in the 7-5 defeat to the Rays Friday on Pride Night at Citi Field.