Pete Alonso returned to Citi Field wearing a Baltimore Orioles uniform Monday night, but New York Mets fans made it clear they haven’t forgotten what he accomplished during his years in Queens.
Alonso received multiple standing ovations and loud cheers during Baltimore’s 2-1 victory, with fans chanting his name at various points throughout the night. The reception wasn’t limited to celebrating the former Mets first baseman, either. Some fans directed their frustration toward president of baseball operations David Stearns, chanting for owner Steve Cohen to fire the executive who declined to bring Alonso back during the offseason.
For Alonso, the night offered a chance to absorb the reaction from a fan base that watched him grow from a rookie into the franchise’s all-time home run leader.
“It’s an honor,” Alonso said of the ovations. “Coming back and seeing everything condensed like that [in the tribute video], it’s special, and it’s much appreciated.”
Pete Alonso’s return to Citi Field brings back plenty of Mets memories
Alonso made his MLB debut with the Mets in 2019 and spent his entire major-league career with New York before joining Baltimore. Last summer, he became the Mets’ all-time home-run leader, adding another milestone to a tenure that made the “Polar Bear” one of the club’s most recognizable players.
But by last offseason, clear signs showed Stearns wasn’t interested in making the long-term financial commitment needed to keep Alonso in New York.
The Mets moved forward without him. What followed didn’t exactly quiet the criticism.
Stearns failed to find an adequate replacement for Alonso’s production, and New York entered Monday at 69-81. The Mets were officially eliminated from playoff contention that night.
Meanwhile, Alonso has continued producing for Baltimore. Through his first 151 games of the season, he was batting .268 with a .363 on-base percentage and .496 slugging percentage. His .859 OPS came with 35 home runs and 100 RBI.
Mets fans make their feelings about David Stearns clear.
Those numbers made the scene at Citi Field particularly difficult to ignore. The Mets were watching their former home run king return as a productive middle-of-the-order hitter for another organization on the same night their own postseason hopes officially disappeared.
Some fans made sure Stearns heard their opinion about how the situation unfolded.
Alonso, however, didn’t use the chants to criticize his former team or its front office. When asked about the calls to “fire Stearns,” he framed them as another expression of appreciation from Mets supporters.
“I kind of see it and take it as they appreciated what I brought to the field, because for me, I take pride in just giving everything I have, every single night,” Alonso said. “I take it as they’re just showing their appreciation for the years of effort and performance.”
That kept Alonso out of the front-office debate while still acknowledging what Mets fans were communicating.
David Stearns faces another crucial Mets offseason.
Stearns is reportedly expected to receive at least one more offseason to reshape the roster after a disappointing 2026 campaign. Winning back frustrated supporters could be considerably harder.
Monday night demonstrated why.
Alonso didn’t need to say anything inflammatory about his departure? The standing ovations, chants, and his production with Baltimore said enough. Mets fans welcomed their former slugger back to Citi Field, then made sure the people running the team heard exactly how they felt about seeing him in another uniform.
