NEW YORK — As the sold-out crowd at Citi Field rose to its feet before Pete Alonso’s first at-bat on Sunday night, home-plate umpire John Lipka waited for the Mets first baseman to make his move.
‘Hey are you gonna do something?’ Lipka asked Alonso, who was honed in on his approach against the Phillies’ Zack Wheeler.
‘Are you gonna tip your cap or something? I can give you time right here.’
It gave Alonso an opportunity to soak in the moment.
As Alonso played what could be his final home game at Citi Field as a member of the Mets, the crowd brought noise and adoration for the homegrown All-Star. The 29-year-old Alonso, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, received a standing ovation with every at-bat.
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And before his first plate appearance, Alonso doffed his batting helmet to the fans, who have been with him for every step of his six-year major-league career, including 226 home runs and four All-Star selections.
‘It was really special. It’s right out of a storybook for me,’ Alonso said. ‘That was truly remarkable to be able to see and feel that reaction from a packed house like that. It’s something you kind of hear about or read about or kind of see in movies, but for me, that was really special.’
Alonso was serenaded with chants of ‘Peeeete’ and ‘Pete A-lon-so!’ throughout the night. The signs dotted the crowd, from ‘Polar Bear Please Stay’ to ‘We Pete.’
The support was felt by Alonso, his teammates and coaches during the Mets’ final regular-season home game. Alonso finished 0-for-4 with three strikeouts but also robbed Bryson Stott of a hit with a slick diving stop to his right for the final out of the sixth inning.
‘Pretty incredible. That’s what it’s all about,’ Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of the response. ‘That’s what makes this city such a special city and our fan base, the Mets fans. I got goosebumps when that happened.’
In the last week, Mendoza has consistently said he believes Sunday won’t be the Mets’ final home game of the 2024 season. With a 2-1 win over the Phillies, the Mets moved into the National League’s No. 2 wild-card spot, tied with the Diamondbacks and remained two games ahead of the Braves, who are the first team out.
The team is confident heading into the final week, which includes three-game road series against the Braves and Brewers. And for now, Alonso is not focused on what could be his last few games in a Mets uniform. He’s set on leading the Mets to the postseason.
‘We’ve really built ourselves a wonderful opportunity, and it’s an honor to play with this team, play with these boys, and play for this franchise,’ Alonso said before the game. ‘It’s sick putting on the orange and blue every day. And I love it. I’m excited.
‘We’re playing meaningful baseball. This is what all offseason we’ve wanted to do. This is what we’ve prepared for all year and now it’s here. And now we got to go do it.’
Sunday might not be the last time Alonso steps on the Citi Field grass as a member of the Mets, but their fans made one loud pitch for the first baseman to return if it turns out that it is.