The New York Mets are officially out of postseason contention. And after the game against the Baltimore Orioles, the fans have made things clear about how they feel. Not only about the current players, but also about the former ones. But one host was not happy with how the fans behaved during Pete Alonso’s return.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Shaun Morash was on the WFAN show talking about how he was disappointed with how the Mets fans treated their own players, especially Jonah Tong.
“The reason you went to the game last night was to see Pete Alonso, not to see the New York Mets… However, we got to the point of a little insanity last night,” he said.
He pointed to the fans and said, “Jonah Tong, who just so happened, after he spit the bit on de Grom night, to go out and arguably throw his best start. And each and every inning, he’s got to deal with everybody cheering an opponent non-stop as he is gutting this out… All those fans… that’s a freaking disgrace.”
The Mets lost 2-1 to the Orioles, but the feeling inside Citi Field was completely different.
The crowd was loud from the start, and every Pete Alonso at-bat brought a huge reaction. It felt almost like the Mets were playing a postseason game, until you understood why.
The fans came to see Alonso, who entered the game just 1 home run away from 300. That became obvious during Alonso’s 3rd-inning plate appearance against Jonah Tong.
Alonso crushed a long drive that went foul, sending the already-standing crowd into a celebration. He then walked, and some fans booed Tong for keeping Alonso from another opportunity.
Tong smiled before getting back to work, and that painful moment became part of his best outing.
Tong had already endured a difficult return to Citi Field against Jacob deGrom last season. This time, the young right-hander looked completely different and gave Baltimore very little to work with.
He allowed 4 hits and 1 unearned run across 6 innings, while striking out 6.
His performance showed why the Mets still see him as an important part of their pitching future.
But Tong’s night was still competing with a crowd waiting for Alonso’s next chance.
When Alonso went hitless and struck out in his final at-bat, some fans started heading toward the exits. The Mets were still within one run, but the crowd had seemingly already gotten what mattered most.
The next night showed exactly why the crowd had been waiting so patiently for Alonso.
He hit his 300th career homer, tied the game, and brought Citi Field to its feet again. Alonso received a curtain call, while Mets players were stunned to see how the home crowd turned completely against them.
Mets players’ reaction to New York’s crowd during Pete Alonso’s return
The Mets had a game to win, but Citi Field spent much of Tuesday night celebrating Pete Alonso.
The former Mets star returned to his old home and quickly became the center of attention again. Fans filled the stands wearing Alonso jerseys and made their support impossible to miss.
Even when the Mets needed their own players, the crowd kept finding another reason to cheer Alonso.
That became even clearer in the 9th inning when Alonso launched his 300th career homer.
Citi Field erupted as fans chanted his name and rose for his curtain call. The celebration continued when Alonso returned to the plate in the 11th inning.
Fans again rose, hoping the former Met could deliver another memorable moment against New York.
But while the Mets understood why Alonso received such love, the reaction frustrated their players. Sean Manaea could only shake his head after watching the crowd focus on Alonso again.
“I’ve just never seen anything like that before,” Manaea said after the 7-5 loss. Manaea understood Alonso’s popularity, but the current Mets were still fighting for a win.
Kodai Senga, who allowed Alonso’s milestone homer, was more understanding of the celebration.
He said he might have been offended normally, but knew how much the Polar Bear meant to Mets fans. Francisco Lindor had already faced the same issue during Monday’s game against Baltimore.
After fans booed Jonah Tong for walking Alonso, Lindor said, “I think next time, they’ve got to give the pitcher a little more love, too.”
Alonso, though, had no complaints about the reception that followed his milestone.
“I appreciate all the support, especially for all the years I’m here,” Alonso said afterward.
For the Mets, however, the night ended in another loss after Baltimore scored three runs in the 11th, with Coby Mayo’s dramatic inside-the-park home run. Alonso got his celebration, while the Mets were left dealing with another frustrating night.