Pete Alonso Hits 300th Career Home Run Against Former Team Mets, Receives Emotional Curtain Call at Citi Field
NEW YORK — Pete Alonso reached a major milestone Tuesday night, launching his 300th career home run in dramatic fashion — and doing it against the New York Mets, the team that drafted him and where he spent the bulk of his career.
The shot came in the ninth inning off Kodai Senga, tying the game at 3, and set the stage for Coby Mayo’s inside-the-park homer in the 11th inning that lifted the Baltimore Orioles to a 7–5 victory at Citi Field before 28,097 fans.
A Milestone Built on Power and Consistency
Alonso, who hit a franchise-record 264 home runs for the Mets before signing with Baltimore in December, has continued his elite power production with the Orioles. The 300th homer makes him one of an exclusive group of sluggers to reach the mark while facing a former team. Willie Horton hit his 300th with Seattle against Detroit in 1979, and Torii Hunter did it for Detroit against Minnesota in 2013.
“There’s a lot of history here with me,” Alonso said afterward, still buzzing from the moment. “It doesn’t matter where and when, I just want to help the team win. I’m just really, really happy for us to come back the way we did.”
A Farewell That Felt Like a Welcome
What made Tuesday’s outing especially memorable was the reception Alonso received from Citi Field faithful. During the Orioles’ 2–1 win Monday night, the stadium played a two-minute tribute video, and Alonso was greeted with a thunderous ovation before his first at-bat — accompanied to the plate by “Layla,” one of his signature walk-up songs, as “Welcome Back, Pete!” flashed across the scoreboard.
Standing ovations followed each of his final three plate appearances Monday, and warm receptions greeted his first three at-bats Tuesday. Fans chanted his name until he emerged from the dugout for a curtain call — a rare occurrence on the road.
“I appreciate all the support for all the years I’ve been here, all the life I’ve lived here,” Alonso said. “Obviously, they’re recognizing that and they appreciate that. It’s a two-way street. Really appreciate it.”
A Rare Achievement Among Baseball’s Elite
The 300th home run milestone carries extra weight because of the circumstances. Alonso became only the third player in MLB history to reach the mark against a franchise for which he appeared in at least 1,000 games. The rarity of the feat underscores both his longevity with the Mets and his sustained power production since the move to Baltimore.
The Significance of the Number
Hitting 300 career home runs places a player among baseball’s most accomplished sluggers. For Alonso, reaching the milestone against the Mets — particularly with the tying run in a tight game — added a layer of poetic significance that went beyond the box score.
Fans, Players, and the Emotional Aftermath
The warm treatment from Mets fans also sparked mixed reactions in the Orioles clubhouse and beyond. “As the 2026 Mets, I know we have definitely underperformed. But we are — the guys in here work our ass off every single day and to have that kind of reaction to an opposing player — could be anybody — is crazy to me,” said Mets pitcher Sean Manaea, who started Tuesday night.
Manaea, a veteran left-hander, acknowledged Alonso’s popularity while expressing surprise at the scene. “Pete’s not here. He’s just not here. So, I know everybody loves him. He’s the man. But, yeah, he’s not here. So, to see the reaction from the fans like that, I don’t know, it’s just different.”
Alonso’s Orioles manager, Craig Albernaz, took a simpler view. “The dugout was fired up for Pete for a lot of different reasons. It was cool to get an acknowledgment from the crowd.”
Chants of “Fire Stearns” also rang through Citi Field, aimed at Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns — a nod to fan frustrations with the team’s direction since Alonso’s departure.
What Comes Next
After the game, Alonso met with the trio of Long Island fans — Michael Shaw, Nick Maldarella, and Chris Makarius — who combined to catch his 300th home run ball. The ball caromed off the second deck in left field and tumbled into the first deck before Maldarella and Makarius each secured a hand on it, handing it off to Shaw with the spirit of “never leave a man behind.”
Alonso signed a bat and ball for each fan, personalized their shirts — an Alonso Mets jersey for Shaw and Makarius, a Carlos Delgado shirt for Maldarella — and offered tickets and batting practice access at Camden Yards next season.
“Thank you, guys,” Alonso told the trio outside the visitors’ clubhouse. “You guys are so kind. Thank you so much.”
With the Orioles still in contention for an AL playoff spot — they were two outs from a deficit that would have dropped them four games behind Cleveland for the final spot — Alonso’s milestone came at a pivotal moment in the season. The emotional scenes at Citi Field, however, reminded everyone that in baseball, legacies transcend jerseys and ballpark gates.
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