Mets Fans Praise Alonso After At-Bats in Emotional Return to Queens

When Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso stepped into the batter's box at Citi Field on Monday night, the Citi Field faithful made one thing abundantly clear: the "Polar Bear" is still deeply revered in Queens. In his highly anticipated return to New York since signing a five-year, $155 million contract with Baltimore last offseason, Alonso was greeted not with boos, but with thunderous standing ovations during and after his at-bats.

A Hero's Welcome

Alonso's homecoming on Monday was a cathartic night for a fan base that spent the winter reeling from his departure. Before the first pitch, the Mets played a nearly two-minute tribute video on the Jumbotron chronicling his rise from a promising second-round draft pick to the franchise’s all-time home run king.

When Alonso walked to the plate for his first at-bat, the crowd erupted. Fans rose to their feet, delivering a roaring ovation that visibly moved the slugger. Even after the first at-bat concluded, the applause didn't stop. Throughout the game, Mets fans continued to shower Alonso with cheers, proving that a change in laundry wasn't enough to sever the bond between the player and the city.

"The video is probably 2 minutes-ish, and for me, I blinked and seven years went by," Alonso reflected after the game. "It really went so quick."

Chants Directed at the Front Office

While the affection for Alonso was overwhelming, the fans also used the night to send a pointed message to Mets' President of Baseball Operations David Stearns. Between cheers for their former first baseman, spontaneous "Fire Stearns" chants echoed through the stadium. For many fans in attendance, the night was a painful reminder of what they felt was a miscalculation by the front office to let a homegrown talent walk away in free agency.

Even former Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, who was part of the regime that drafted Alonso, voiced his empathy with the fans' frustration. Appearing on MLB Network earlier in the day, Alderson was blunt about the situation.

"I was disappointed," Alderson said. "Let’s say his defense is not superb. Poor defense doesn't outweigh the kind of homegrown, home run talent... Pete Alonso was part of the entertainment that Mets fans appreciated and supported."

The Box Score

Alonso came into the game sitting on 299 career home runs. While a milestone 300th homer against his former team would have been a storybook moment, the Mets pitching staff managed to keep his bat quiet.

Despite Alonso going hitless, the Orioles ultimately walked away with a 2-1 victory, courtesy of an eighth-inning tie-breaking solo home run by Gunnar Henderson.

Ultimately, Monday night at Citi Field wasn't about the box score. It was a rare, magical evening where a fan base rallied around a visiting player, choosing to honor the memories he gave them over the jersey he now wears.