Pete Alonso got here to the plate to a standing ovation from a lot of the sold-out Citi Discipline crowd within the backside of the primary in what might have been his last recreation 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 house plate umpire John Libka had a message for him when he bought 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 anxious about my at-bat, however [thought] ‘Yeah, I ought to.’ I’m completely satisfied 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 nicely for the Mets over the following couple of weeks, although, he may very well be again once more.
And Sunday’s win over the Phillies helped their trigger, since Alonso mentioned he had the same mentality as Carlos Mendoza: He’s wasn’t Sunday’s recreation as something last 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 probably being his last recreation at Citi Discipline, Alonso mentioned beforehand, “In my thoughts, it isn’t.”
To ensure that the Mets to play at Citi Discipline once more, they might doubtless should make it to the NLDS, since all of the wild card sequence video games are on the greater seed.
“I’m actually excited for this chance that we labored so laborious for this yr,’’ Alonso mentioned. “Immediately shouldn’t be about me. This about us and who we’re. That is in regards to the 2024 Mets. From the place we’ve come as a bunch, we’ve come to this point. 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 midst of September helped price the Mets a division title.
Alonso is assured they’ll 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 bought to go do it.”
For the reason that finish of Could, the Mets nonetheless have the perfect document within the majors, which additionally has Alonso and the Mets feeling good with per week left.
“We’ve performed glorious baseball for a very very long time now,’’ Alonso mentioned. “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 fitting 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 crew win,’’ Alonso mentioned. “That is what our identification is. A recreation like this exhibits who the 2024 Mets are.”
They’ve put themselves in a great place heading into the final week.
“We’ve finished a very good job this sequence [against the Phillies] of enjoying high quality baseball to this point,” the primary baseman mentioned. “We simply must take it day-to-day. 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 on daily basis. I like it.”