Pete Alonso tipped his helmet to the gang earlier than his first at-bat Sunday night time in what may very well be his last recreation at Citi Subject as a Met.
It adopted a partial standing ovation from the sellout crowd in Queens, with the followers chanting the primary baseman’s title as he bought to the plate within the backside of the primary.
Regardless of the show within the Mets’ final house recreation of the common season along with his free company approaching, Alonso stated he had an identical mentality as Carlos Mendoza: He’s not Sunday’s recreation towards the Phillies as something last in Queens.
The Mets entered the sequence finale 1 ½ video games forward of the Braves for the ultimate NL wild card with what Alonso referred to as “an awesome alternative” to get again to Citi Subject within the postseason.
Requested about Sunday probably being his last recreation at Citi Subject, Alonso stated beforehand, “In my thoughts, it isn’t.”
Heading into the final week of the common season, the Mets have three video games starting Tuesday in Atlanta earlier than one other three-game sequence in Milwaukee.
Then they hope to have a wild card sequence.
“I’m actually excited for this chance that we labored so exhausting for this 12 months,’’ Alonso stated. “At present is just not about me. This about us and who we’re. That is concerning the 2024 Mets. From the place we’ve come as a gaggle, we’ve come up to now. 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 sturdy on the street this time round to safe a wild card.
“We’ve completed a very good job this sequence [against the Phillies] of enjoying high quality baseball up to now,” the primary baseman stated. “We simply must take it daily. We’ve actually constructed ourselves a beautiful alternative. It’s an honor to play with this crew. It’s sick placing on the orange and blue each day. I like it.”
Following Monday’s off day, the Mets will see how the 2024 season will find yourself.
“I’m excited,” Alonso stated. “We’re enjoying significant baseball. That is what we ready for all 12 months and now it’s right here. Now we’ve bought to go do it.”
Because the finish of Might, the Mets nonetheless have the perfect file within the majors, which additionally has Alonso and the Mets feeling good with per week left.
“We’ve performed wonderful baseball for a very very long time now,” Alonso stated. “And I believe persons 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 correct to be on this place and to be part of this group has been actually, actually particular.”
Over his earlier 9 video games heading into Sunday, Alonso was 12-for-33 with three homers, a double and a 1.142 OPS.
The Mets gained six of these video games, serving to them achieve a lead over Atlanta within the battle for the postseason.
Maybe that’s why Alonso wasn’t fascinated by trying too far forward — or to the previous about his historical past with the Mets — with a lot on the road over the following week.
“Each recreation issues,’’ Alonso stated. “If we will simply keep locked in [Sunday] after which fear about Tuesday when Tuesday comes.”