Pete Alonso came to bat in the bottom of the first inning to a standing ovation from much of the sold-out Citi Field crowd in what could have been his final game with the Mets.
The first baseman said he was surprised by the reaction and didn't know what to do.
Alonso said umpire John Rybka had a message for him when he entered the box.
“John said, 'Are you going to take your hat off? I'll give you some time,'” Alonso said after the Mets' 2-1 win over Philadelphia. “I said, 'You know what?' I was worried about the at-bat, but [thought] “'Yes, you should,' I'm glad John reminded me.”
It was the first of four big applause for Alonso, who becomes a first-time free agent.
But if things work out for the Mets over the next few weeks, he could be back in the mix.
And Sunday's win over the Phillies put them in a favorable position, as Alonso said he has a similar mindset to Carlos Mendoza: He didn't consider Sunday's game his final game in Queens.
The Mets are two games behind the Braves for the final National League wild-card game, with the teams scheduled to begin their series on Tuesday in Atlanta. Asked about the possibility that Sunday could be his final game at Citi Field, Alonso said before the game, “In my opinion, no.”
For the Mets to play at Citi Field again, they would likely have to play in the NLDS, as all Wild Card Series games are played between the higher seeds.
“I'm really excited for this opportunity after working so hard this year,” Alonso said. “Today isn't about me. This is about us and who we are. This is about the Mets in 2024. We've come this far as a team and now we just need to finish it off.”
That wasn't the case for the 2022 Mets, who lost three straight games to the Braves in Atlanta in mid-September and missed out on the division title.
Alonso is confident he can secure a wildcard spot with a strong finish away from home this time.
After Monday's break, the Mets will wait to see how their '24 season ends.
“I'm excited,” Alonso said. “We're playing meaningful baseball. This is what we've been preparing for all year and now we're here. Now we just have to execute on it.”
The Mets are enjoying their best record in the major leagues since the end of May, and with a week left in the season, Alonso and the Mets are feeling good.
“We've been playing great baseball for a really long time,” Alonso said. “I think when people think about the 2024 Mets, they think 'Oh my God' and 'grimacing,' but for me, the word that comes to mind is 'tenacity.' We've earned the right to be in this position and being a part of this team is really special.”
Sunday was another example, as Alonso was hitless in four at-bats and struck out three.
“It was incredible, it was storybook,” Alonso said of the fan reaction. “It was amazing to see and feel the gratitude from a full house.”
And even better, it came as a win.
“It was a tenacious team win,” Alonso said. “This is who we are. Games like this show what kind of team the Mets are in 2024.”
They are in a good position going into the final week.
“This series did a really good job. [against the Phillies] “It's been great to play quality baseball so far,” the first baseman said. “It's just a matter of working hard every day. We've really built ourselves a great opportunity. It's an honor to play for this team. It's awesome to put on the orange and blue every day. I love it.”
