Pete Alonso Returns to Citi Field With Orioles Chasing 300th Home Run
- The milestone-chasing first baseman begins a three-game interleague series against the New York Mets sitting precisely on 299 career home runs, a number he shares with former teammate...
- "Both the Orioles as an organization and myself, I feel like we align and fit perfectly," Alonso said, according to CBS Sports.
- Baltimore sends right-hander Brandon Young (9-4, 3.71 ERA) to the mound for the series opener against Mets right-hander Jonah Tong (2-1, 4.80 ERA), per CBS Sports.
The milestone-chasing first baseman begins a three-game interleague series against the New York Mets sitting precisely on 299 career home runs, a number he shares with former teammate Francisco Lindor, as reported by CBS Sports. Alonso hit his 299th career blast during a 7-3 loss, according to CBS Sports. He enters Monday’s matchup looking to make history in the borough where he spent the first six years of his major league career.
“Both the Orioles as an organization and myself, I feel like we align and fit perfectly,” Alonso said, according to CBS Sports. “When you have something good, you focus on it.”
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Baltimore sends right-hander Brandon Young (9-4, 3.71 ERA) to the mound for the series opener against Mets right-hander Jonah Tong (2-1, 4.80 ERA), per CBS Sports. Both clubs enter the contest after dropping the rubber games of their respective road series on September 13, with the Orioles falling 8-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays and the Mets dropping a 2-0 decision to the New York Yankees.
Baltimore Debut and Current Season Statistics
Alonso signed a five-year, $155 million contract with the Orioles in December after reaching free agency, choosing a blue-collar franchise that pursued him aggressively from the start of the General Manager Meetings in November, according to reporting by the New York Daily News. The Mets never made Alonso a formal counter-offer when he hit the open market following the 2025 season, leaving the slugger to seek stability and a new home for his young family in Baltimore.
“The biggest thing in free agency, having gone through it twice, if you have something good and really good dialogue going, you really don’t want to mess up like the golden goose,” Alonso told the New York Daily News.
The Baltimore version of the slugger has delivered immediate production. According to CBS Sports, Alonso leads the major leagues with an American League-best 100 RBIs, marking his fifth career 100-RBI season since his 2019 debut. He also ranks fourth in the American League with 35 home runs, achieving at least 30 homers in seven of his eight major league seasons. Furthermore, Alonso leads all major leaguers by playing in 1,158 games since 2019, showcasing durability that matched the team’s need for a reliable middle-of-the-order presence.
Standings Context and Spoiler Role
The series arrives as both teams face distinct pressures in the season’s final stretch. The Orioles (72-78) sit four games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final American League wild-card spot with 12 games remaining, dimming their postseason outlook after Sunday’s loss in Toronto, according to CBS Sports.
“We can moan and groan and complain about where we’re at, but we dug ourselves this hole,” Orioles pitcher Trevor Rogers said, as reported by CBS Sports. “We have to dig ourselves out of it.”
On the other side, the Mets (69-80) stand on the brink of official postseason elimination, which will occur with their next loss or a win by the Arizona Diamondbacks, per CBS Sports. However, New York has embraced the spoiler role since a July trade deadline fire-sale, putting together a 22-14 record since August 3 under interim manager Andy Green.
“I don’t see playoff atmospheres rattling those guys,” Green said, according to CBS Sports. “Those guys are wired to handle that stuff.”