Pete Alonso’s return to Citi Field delivered exactly the reception Francisco Lindor had hoped for. But the New York Mets shortstop, after watching the celebration unfold, has another request for the fans. He appreciated how much love his former teammate received. And despite the Mets already being eliminated, Lindor wants to see the same energy directed toward the team.
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“It was cool to see how they showed out for him, how they gave him love. Next time, they got to give the pitcher a little more love, too, because at the end of the day, we’re trying to win the game,” the 32-year-old said in an interview with SNY.
Alonso spent 7 seasons with the Mets before signing a 5-year, $155 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent at the end of 2025. This was his first time playing in New York since his departure. And for the Metsies, the fact that he wore a different uniform didn’t matter.
They welcomed him as their own with signs, a standing ovation, and chanting his name during his plate appearance. And that’s exactly what Lindor had hoped for.
“It better be electric,” the 5x All-Star said before the series. “I hope people go crazy for him. He deserves it.”
They listened. And they poured their heart out. And it wasn’t just the 35,800 people in the stands.
The Citi Field PA played a tribute video on the scoreboard before the game. It made Alonso feel like his entire Mets tenure just went by him in a blink. They even played his walk-up song “Layla” from last season.
Throughout his 7 seasons in New York, the Polar Bear became a fan favorite, energizing the Citi Field crowd with clutch hits and charismatic leadership.
“I think he got every ounce of love that he deserved,” Lindor added. “He got it tonight, and he’ll probably get it tomorrow too and the next day too. I think it was cool.”
He was asked if he misses Alonso as a person and a teammate. Lindor was traded to the Mets in 2021 before signing a 10-year contract extension. He played beside the homegrown star for five seasons and was quite upfront about his departure.
“You can see the numbers, but at the end of the day, I thought the guys that we acquired were going to help us win games. We just haven’t played; we haven’t performed to our best,” Lindor added. “We haven’t stayed healthy, and we haven’t put the season together. As a person, I do miss him, for sure.”
Despite their efforts, the Mets lost 2-1 on Monday. And New York is currently out of the playoff picture.
Mets struggles have made fan support harder to find
They started last season on a high note with a 45-24 record by June 12. But they had a historic collapse of 38-55 over their final 93 games. Finally, after their 2-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, they are out of playoff contention on Monday.
And it’s not like the fans haven’t supported them.
But given they had an approximate payroll of $350 million this year, yet were stuck in the bottom half of the NL East didn’t leave fans with much scope to celebrate the team. And given how they passed on the opportunity to re-sign Alonso, obviously didn’t help earn their support back.
While Francisco Lindor and his former teammate found them in the opposite sides of the fan base, they share an uncanny resemblance.
Both players have recorded 299 career home runs. While many fans expected Alonso to hit the 300-HR milestone in this series, Mets fans are also aware of how close their SS is. One of them even refueled the contest by asking other online users who would achieve the feat first.
Both, however, didn’t fare well against their opponent pitchers.
Alonso went 0-for-3 while Lindor went 0-for-4. But at the end of the day, it didn’t matter much for the Orioles as they won the game and are now just 3.0 games behind the final American League Wild Card spot.
The Mets, on the other hand, suffered their 3rd loss in the last 4 games.
It’s hard to ask for support when your entire season has been marred by poor performance. But maybe that’s exactly when they need the fans’ support the most. We’ll see on Tuesday if the loyalists pay heed to Lindor.