Mets followers packed the home for a particular homecoming, and their prized gamers knew precisely how to reply to their love.
The Citi Area parking zone was full hours earlier than the primary pitch of the Mets’ 5-0 win over the Blue Jays on Friday. Followers streamed into the ballpark early to get a primary take a look at Juan Soto in orange and blue threads. It appeared like there have been paper indicators with Soto’s face and identify in each part of the stadium. When he lastly stepped as much as the plate within the first inning, followers have been residing and dying on each pitch. It was a second that was years within the making. Mets followers had been dreaming about Soto taking part in in Queens lengthy earlier than he signed the richest contract ($765 million over 15 years) in Main League Baseball historical past.
After a few powerful at-bats, Soto lastly collected his first hit at house as a Met within the sixth inning with an RBI double to the right-field nook. There was a collective exhale from the gang that watched him pop up and floor out in his first two plate appearances. Outfielder Brandon Nimmo mentioned he’s seen that Soto has been getting pitched to love Barry Bonds. However when Soto did get a pitch to hit on Friday, he didn’t miss.
“We knew he was going to come back by,” shortstop Francisco Lindor mentioned. “It’s only a matter of time. He’s a showman. He’s a type of guys that when the lights are on and everybody’s on high of him, he’s going to carry out.”
“It was the right day for baseball,” Soto mentioned. “All the pieces went our method.”
The followers had loads of like to go round, as a result of there’s no scarcity of stars on the 2025 roster.
Pete Alonso, in full drive, is again the place he belongs. The Mets first baseman heard “Pe-te Al-on-so!” chants reverberating all through the stadium when he walked as much as the plate within the first inning. Lindor’s leadoff double sparked the opening body and Alonso drove him house with a two-run homer to the alternative subject in his first at-bat again at Citi Area since his prolonged free company.
“That is house for him,” Lindor mentioned. “That is house.”
The sellout crowd of 43,955 — the ninth-largest regular-season attendance in Citi Area historical past — roared as Alonso rounded the bases and high-fived his teammates at house plate. Moments later, Alonso popped again out of the dugout, rotated and tipped his cap for a curtain name.
“That sort of stuff is what you dream about as a child,” Alonso mentioned. “To have that sort of help being reciprocated, it’s actually particular. I loved each second of it.”
“That’s why they name him the Polar Bear,” Soto mentioned of Alonso’s efficiency.
Welcome again, certainly. Nostalgia apart, Alonso hasn’t wasted time altering the narrative of his manufacturing on the plate.
There have been lots of questions going into the yr about who would defend Soto within the lineup, significantly since Alonso didn’t signal with the Mets till the center of February. Then, as soon as he did agree to come back again to the Mets on a two-year, $54 million deal, which features a participant opt-out after the 2025 season, there have been extra questions on whether or not Alonso may bounce again after his underwhelming 2024 contract yr.
He did, in spite of everything, battle to hit with runners in scoring place final season. Alonso’s .232 batting common with RISP was properly under the league-average (.252) in these conditions. Till Alonso’s unforgettable house run towards nearer Devin Williams that despatched Amazins to the Nationwide League Division Sequence, a large portion of the Mets fan base was content material with letting their beloved Polar Bear stroll away in free company. New Yorkers and Janet Jackson usually ask the identical query: What have you ever accomplished for me recently?
“I didn’t need to think about it,” outfielder Brandon Nimmo mentioned of the potential of Alonso signing elsewhere in free company. “There was a time this offseason the place issues have been getting fairly sticky there on the finish. We have been undoubtedly frightened. However I’m glad we don’t have to fret about that anymore. We’re sitting right here with Juan Soto and Pete Alonso proper in the course of our lineup. That’s two guys which can be actually onerous to pitch to.”
These days, Alonso has been the one hitter doing injury for the Mets within the greatest moments. His first-inning blast on Friday was his third house run in his final 4 video games. Alonso tied Wednesday’s sport towards the Marlins with a clutch three-run house run that helped the Mets lengthen the sport into additional innings earlier than they received within the eleventh. Alonso is so locked in to date this season that when he drew a stroll within the eleventh inning, he didn’t transfer from the field. He was champing on the bit to get one other ball to drive. That keen anticipation carried into Friday’s house opener, when the slugger pounced on right-hander Kevin Gausman’s fifth pitch.
Alonso has a 1.090 OPS to start out the yr. His 10 RBIs are tied for the third-most by a Met by his first seven video games of the season. For all of the drama and thriller of his free company this previous winter, it’s onerous to examine Alonso taking part in for another group.
“Envisioning coming again, for me, it was all about profitable,” Alonso mentioned. “Figuring out the tradition right here, figuring out the blokes, figuring out the camaraderie, you want a terrific mixture of expertise, onerous work and chemistry. And clearly, this place is acquainted. Love taking part in at Citi, love being in New York. It checks all these bins for me. For me, it’s the most suitable choice. And it’s such a straightforward choice to come back again.”
Soto and Alonso signify a formidable 1-2 punch within the Mets lineup; a pair of sluggers that confirmed their potential for greatness within the house opener. Soto is simply seven video games into his 15-year contract, and already his Mets teammates count on him to do one thing impactful each time he’s on the plate. The Mets already know what Alonso can do when he’s feeling assured. He is simply 24 homers away from surpassing Darryl Strawberry for hitting probably the most house runs in Mets franchise historical past. When Soto signed with the Mets in December, there was the sense that Alonso needed to return to the group that drafted him to make their blockbuster offseason value it.
Friday’s home-opening victory lastly introduced all of it collectively. For a Mets fan base that has needed to endure too many heartbreaks to depend, it could actually enjoy the truth that what we noticed at Citi Area was no mirage. It is only the start of this fearsome duo in Queens.
Deesha Thosar is a MLB reporter and columnist for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand coated the Mets for 4 years as a beat reporter for the New York Every day Information. Observe her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
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