New York Mets fans showered Baltimore Orioles slugger Pete Alonso with love each time he stepped up to the plate over the first two games of the series that featured Alonso making his return to Citi Field for the first time since he signed with the Orioles in free agency this past MLB offseason. 

After Alonso crushed his 300th career home run to tie Tuesday's game in the top of the ninth inning, he received a curtain call from the crowd. Following the Orioles' 7-5 extra-innings win, Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea suggested he didn't love how the home fans reacted to Alonso's achievement. 

Sean Manaea: Pete Alonso getting a curtain call was "crazy"

"I played with Pete for a couple years," Manaea said, per Ben Krimmel of SNY. "I know how much he means for this organization, how much he means for this city. He’s an exceptional player, and I love him as a player. As a teammate, he’s one of the greats. And unfortunately, he is not on the Mets anymore. And congrats to him. 300 home runs, super happy for him, but it’s just crazy how things kinda unfolded. I’ve got nothing but respect for him and love him to death. But as a team, as the 2026 Mets, I know we have definitely underperformed, but we are, the guys in here, work their a-- off every single day. And to have that kinda reaction to an opposing player, could be anybody, is crazy to me."

The Alonso-less Mets were already eliminated from playoff contention before they fell to 69-82 on Tuesday night. Nevertheless, Mets fans flocked to Citi Field on Monday and Tuesday to see their beloved "Polar Bear" and also to make it known they're still upset that team president of baseball operations David Stearns had no real interest in re-signing Alonso this past offseason. 

Alonso is the Mets' all-time home run king, and he played only for the franchise from when he made his MLB debut in 2019 through last season. 

Sean Manaea to Mets fans: "Pete’s not here"

"Pete’s not here," Manaea added. "And the powers that be, whatever that may be. He’s just not here. I know everybody loves him. He’s the man, but, just, he’s not here. To see the reaction from the fans like that, I don’t know, it’s just different. Never seen anything like that. ...Been doing this thing for 10, 11 years now, played against some legendary players, played with some legendary players, maybe it was the first time I’ve been in a situation like this. Yeah, I’ve never seen anything like it."

As shared by Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News, Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor tried on Monday to remind fans cheering for Alonso "to give the pitcher a little more love, too, because at the end of the day, we’re trying to win the game." 

In the end, Lindor, Stearns and others associated with the Mets can only blame themselves for why New York players didn't receive the loudest cheers in Queens on Tuesday.