Pete Alonso made his anticipated return to Citi Field on Monday night, now as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, and was met with a significant display of support from the New York Mets fanbase. Fans, many clad in Alonso's former No. 20 Mets jerseys, showed their allegiance to the slugger, even as he appeared in the No. 25 Orioles uniform.
Before the game, Alonso visited the Mets' clubhouse to reconnect with former teammates and staff and was seen interacting with team owner Steve Cohen. During pre-game festivities, he received multiple ovations and chants of his name, which were amplified during a video montage shown before the first pitch.
The most notable moment occurred when Alonso stepped up to the plate for the first time as an Oriole. After nearly a year's absence from the Citi Field crowd, fans responded with a lengthy standing ovation, which Alonso acknowledged before hitting a fly ball to right field. Following this moment, the atmosphere shifted as a chant of "Fire Stearns" erupted.
Alonso, reflecting on his popularity with the Mets faithful, stated, "I care so much about leaving it all out on the field. I put all the emotion I have into emptying the tank every night. I’m glad people appreciate that. For them to recognize that is special."
His consistent presence in the lineup for every game this season was highlighted as a valuable attribute that the Mets have missed. Alonso expressed his dedication: "My job is to play, and I want to do whatever I can for my team to help win the game. For me, I love playing. I relish every opportunity I get to go out and put the uniform on. It’s a special opportunity to play baseball for a job. I take pride in it."
Alonso also commented on his departure from the Mets, noting that the team was looking to move on even before the current season. He confirmed his interest when the Orioles presented a substantial offer early in the previous offseason, stating, "I didn’t want to mess up a good thing."
Regarding the Mets' decision to trade him, Alonso expressed respect for their prerogative, "I respect their decision. The guys running the team, it’s their prerogative to do whatever they think is best. I respect it professionally. At the same time, I’m so stoked to be an Oriole. I feel very, very fortunate to be here. I feel very fortunate to play all those years I had with the Mets. Two things can be true."
He recalled his most cherished memory as a Met as hitting a home run in the wild-card game in Milwaukee, referring to the 2024 season as his favorite. Alonso also acknowledged the challenging periods during his tenure with the Mets, drawing parallels to his current team's struggles, "I know there’s so much talent over there. I’ve been part of teams with a lot of talent that didn’t get it done. The years that stick out in my mind [are] ’21 and ’23. You can have all the talent and then injuries [happen] or things are not clicking. It’s baseball. You hate to say that, but it happens. You can’t necessarily predict things and have things work out in a perfect manner."
Despite the Orioles' recent slip in the wild-card standings, Alonso expressed a lasting connection to New York, saying, "New York is always gonna feel like some kind of homecoming. New York will always be a special place for my family," referencing his family ties to the city and his time playing for Single-A Brooklyn after being drafted in 2016.