Pete Alonso got here to the plate to a standing ovation from a lot of the sold-out Citi Subject crowd within the backside of the primary in what might have been his closing sport there as a Met.
The primary baseman mentioned the response caught him off guard, a lot in order that he didn’t know what to do.
Alonso mentioned residence plate umpire John Libka had a message for him when he obtained into the field.
“John mentioned, ‘Are you gonna tip your cap or one thing? I may give you time,’ ” Alonso mentioned after the Mets’ 2-1 win over Philadelphia. “I mentioned, ‘What?’ I used to be nervous about my at-bat, however [thought] ‘Yeah, I ought to.’ I’m pleased John jogged my memory.”
It was the primary of 4 loud ovations for Alonso, who is headed to free company for the primary time.
If issues go properly for the Mets over the subsequent couple of weeks, although, he could possibly be again once more.
And Sunday’s win over the Phillies helped their trigger, since Alonso mentioned he had an identical mentality as Carlos Mendoza: He’s wasn’t Sunday’s sport as something closing in Queens.
The Mets are two video games forward of the Braves for the ultimate NL wild card with the sequence between the 2 set to start in Atlanta on Tuesday and requested about Sunday doubtlessly being his closing sport at Citi Subject, Alonso mentioned beforehand, “In my thoughts, it isn’t.”
To ensure that the Mets to play at Citi Subject once more, they’d doubtless must make it to the NLDS, since all of the wild card sequence video games are on the increased seed.
“I’m actually excited for this chance that we labored so laborious for this yr,’’ Alonso mentioned. “Right now will not be about me. This about us and who we’re. That is concerning the 2024 Mets. From the place we’ve come as a bunch, we’ve come to date. We simply want to complete.”
It’s one thing they didn’t do in 2022 when a three-game sweep by the hands of the Braves in Atlanta in the course of September helped price the Mets a division title.
Alonso is assured they are going to shut robust on the street this time round to safe a wild card spot.
Following Monday’s off day, the Mets will see how the ‘24 season will find yourself.
“I’m excited,’’ Alonso mentioned. “We’re enjoying significant baseball. That is what we ready for all yr and now it’s right here. Now we’ve obtained to go do it.”
For the reason that finish of Could, the Mets nonetheless have the perfect report within the majors, which additionally has Alonso and the Mets feeling good with per week left.
“We’ve performed wonderful baseball for a extremely very long time now,’’ Alonso mentioned. “And I feel individuals are gonna consider the 2024 Mets with ‘Oh my God’ or Grimace, however the one phrase that for me involves thoughts is ‘resilient.’ We’ve earned the best to be on this place and to be part of this group has been actually, actually particular.”
Sunday was one other instance, even when Alonso went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
“It was unimaginable, storybook stuff proper there,’’ Alonso mentioned of the fan response. “It’s outstanding to see and really feel that appreciation from a packed home like that.”
And it was higher that it got here in one other victory.
“That was a gritty group win,’’ Alonso mentioned. “That is what our identification is. A sport like this reveals who the 2024 Mets are.”
They’ve put themselves in a great place heading into the final week.
“We’ve performed a extremely good job this sequence [against the Phillies] of enjoying high quality baseball to date,” the primary baseman mentioned. “We simply have to take it day-to-day. We’ve actually constructed ourselves a beautiful alternative. It’s an honor to play with this group. It’s sick placing on the orange and blue every single day. I like it.”
