On Monday night, former New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso made his first appearance at Citi Field as an opponent, playing for the Baltimore Orioles. Despite going hitless in the Orioles’ 2-1 victory that eliminated the Mets from playoff contention, the 31‑year‑old was treated to a thunderous standing ovation from the 35,800‑strong crowd.
Mets tribute highlights Alonso’s legacy
Before the game, the Mets aired a nearly two‑minute video honoring Alonso’s seven‑year tenure with the club. The montage showcased his franchise‑record 264 home runs, five All‑Star selections, the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year award, and his two Home Run Derby victories. Clips of his charitable work and memorable moments – including the go‑ahead homer that sent the Mets past the Brewers in the 2024 Wild Card Series – underscored his impact on the organization.
“I appreciate their sentiment and their support for the years of effort and performance,” Alonso said after the ovation. “It’s special and much appreciated.”
Fans chant and celebrate
When Alonso stepped to the plate for his first at‑bat, the stadium erupted as his walk‑up song “Layla” blared over the speakers. After a brief hug with Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez, the scoreboard displayed a warm “Welcome Back, Pete!” message. The crowd’s enthusiasm continued throughout the game, even chanting “Fire Stearns!” toward Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns.
Alonso’s first plate appearance resulted in a fly out to right field. He later walked in the third inning after fouling a potential 300th homer into the upper deck, grounded out in the fifth, and struck out in the eighth just before Gunnar Henderson’s tiebreaking solo homer.
Current season snapshot
Alonso is batting .268 with 35 homers, an AL‑leading 100 RBIs and an .859 OPS for the last‑place Orioles, who sit three games behind Cleveland for the final American League wild‑card spot. He also extended his consecutive‑games‑played streak to 567, the second‑longest among active players.
After leaving New York as a free agent following the 2025 season, Alonso signed a five‑year, $155 million contract with Baltimore. The Mets, despite an opening‑day payroll exceeding $350 million, endured a 12‑game losing streak in April and have spent most of the season at the bottom of the NL East.
Looking ahead to the 300th homer
Alonso currently sits at 299 career home runs, matching former teammate Francisco Lindor. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he could become the third player to hit his 300th home run against a team for which he played 1,000 or more games. Willie Horton achieved the feat in 1979 and Torii Hunter in 2013.
“I know Paco is chasing that same milestone, so it’d be really cool if both of us could do it in the same game,” Alonso said. “That’d really be sick.”
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
