The New York Mets had a decision to make about Pete Alonso last winter. David Stearns made it by not doing anything. The Mets GM let the very popular "Polar Bear" walk away after seven years in Flushing as a free agent.
On Tuesday night, he reminded Mets fans what they have lost.
Alonso, the former homegrown Mets star, cracked the 300th home run of his career against his former team wearing a Baltimore Orioles uniform. Alonso's solo blast came in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday with the Orioles trailing 3-2.
PETE ALONSO’S 300TH CAREER HOME RUN COMES AT CITI FIELD! pic.twitter.com/yqJJLdnQ8D
— MLB (@MLB) September 16, 2026
He emphatically tossed his bat after the homer. He then received a curtain call from the New York crowd.
Pete Alonso LAUNCHED his bat after his milestone homer 😤 pic.twitter.com/Jrc3gdODMC
— MLB (@MLB) September 16, 2026
So Mets fans, who embraced Alonso's bold personality in his seven years in Queens, got to watch him hit this milestone. He earned a warm welcome back to Flushing, the fans saluting him in Game 1 of the series Monday night before honoring him more Tuesday.
The Orioles eventually won 7-5 in 11 innings.
Pete Alonso takes a curtain call at Citi Field after his 300th career home run pic.twitter.com/FWhWhiA8En
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) September 16, 2026
The Mets took Alonso in the second round in the 2016 MLB Draft, 64th overall, out of Florida, and had a star within three years. He set the rookie home run record with 53 in 2019, endearing himself to the Mets faithful because it surpassed the record set by crosstown rival Aaron Judge. He ran away with the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year. Todd Frazier nicknamed him Polar Bear that same season, telling Alonso he looked like a "big, damn polar bear," and it stuck. Alonso won the Home Run Derby that July, then won it again two years later. He made five All-Star teams and broke David Wright's franchise home run record.
Still, none of that earned him a call worth taking from Stearns in the winter.
Alonso opted out of his contract with the Mets after a strong 2025 season, betting on himself the same way he had in 2024. This time, the Mets didn't counter. Stearns inherited Alonso when he took over the organization and showed no inclination to bring him back on a star-level deal. Baltimore, however, was looking for a star first baseman. The Orioles signed him to a five-year, $155-million deal in December.
Even Steve Cohen, the Mets' billionaire owner, understood the emotion of fans watching Alonso walk.
"I totally understand the fans' reaction," he texted a reporter at the time. "There is lots of offseason left to put a playoff team on the field."
Fast forward 10 months later and that is something Cohen probably wishes he hadn't put in print. Alonso returned to a dispirited Citi Field to face a team that imploded. The Mets fired their manager, they traded off their assets at the deadline and headed into this series 18.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East and 12 games out of a wild card.
Alonso's Orioles have had a little better season.
While he came to New York hitting .269 with 35 home runs and 100 RBI this season, the Orioles have still underperformed. They sit four games back of the final AL wild-card spot.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pete Alonso launches 300th career home run, and it comes against the Mets























