Pete Alonso is now in Tom Seaver territory

Baltimore Orioles slugger Pete Alonso is in a truly rare class of beloved New York Mets players, both past and present. Alonso’s Orioles took the first two games of a three-game set at Citi Field this week and from how the fans have cheered? One would think he still wore orange and blue.

This was on full display Monday when, as we wrote yesterday, Alonso received a hero’s welcome among chants of “Fire Stearns,” even as Alonso was 0 for 3 with a walk in Baltimore’s 2-1 victory. Tuesday, on the other hand, was a much different story. And, by extension, a new rock bottom for the 2026 New York Mets.

Facing newly minted closer Kodai Senga with one out in the ninth inning with the Orioles down 3-2, Alonso stepped into the box. Two pitches and, quite possibly, the bat flip of the year later, Alonso had tied the game with his 300th career home run. The fans roared like the Mets had just walked off Game 7 of the World Series.

“I haven’t really seen a curtain call from a guy wearing gray pants,” quipped O’s skipper Craig Albernaz after the game. “That was kind of cool,” manager Craig Albernaz said. 

His home run wasn’t even the dagger as the Orioles won 7-5 in 11 innings, that honor belongs to Coby Mayo’s inside-the-parker. And yet, even as the Mets blew yet another save, their fans rejoiced. Bonus points for Alonso being 0 for 4 heading into the AB.

“There’s a lot of history here with me, and honestly, it doesn’t matter where and when. I just want to help the team win,” Alonso said, keeping it Polar Bear cool per usual. “No. 300, it’s a nice round number. But I’m just so proud of this group. The way we fought today, it’s an unbelievable team win.”

Make it official: Pete Alonso has officially entered what we’ll call Tom Seaver Territory. That means—at least with the Mets—Alonso is officially so beloved that he can do no wrong.

Some context. Seaver debuted with the Mets in 1967 and quickly established himself as one of baseball’s premier aces. He took home three NL Cy Young Awards and a World Series ring along the way, and was also a nine-time All-Star. Cut to the establishment of free agency in the mid-1970s, and Seaver soon found himself butting heads with team management over his next contract.

Thus, in June 1977 as part of what is now called the “Midnight Massacre,” Seaver requested a trade and was sent to the Cincinnati Reds. The Mets received a four-player package headlined by reigning NL Rookie of the Year Pat Zachry. Seaver, meanwhile, starred in Cincy before being traded back to the Mets for one more season in 1983. He finished his career with the White Sox and Red Sox, but everyone knew: George Thomas Seaver was a New York Met, through and through.

And now Pete Alonso too. Especially considering the Mets reportedly never made him an offer in free agency. What’s strange is that this exclusive club of Mets players might be Seaver, Alonso, and no one else.

Think about it. Which Mets are viewed the same? Keith Hernandez might be, especially since the analytics darlings like to tout his Hall of Fame case. But let’s be real, would he be in the conversation if he wasn’t a nightly fixture on SNY? Probably not.

What about Dwight Gooden and Daryl Strawberry? Prime Doc & Daryl was a sight to witness on top of winning the Mets the 1986 World Series. Pure baseball magic on the mound and up at bat. But even then, that conversation usually drifts towards what could have been. As in, what if there were no off-field issues and the two stayed Mets for life?

Not even the late Gary Carter gets this treatment. Even as one of the rocks of the ’86 team, he made his bones with the Expos in Montreal and dons that cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. And 1969 World Series MVP Donn Clendenon? The Mets were where he spent the twilight of his career after establishing himself with power in Pittsburgh.

Fans might still throw out a small handful of deep cut names. Art Shamsky. Rey Ordoñez. John Franco. Ed freakin’ Kranepool!

No disrespect to those legends of Flushing, but they’re not Pete Alonso. That doesn’t take away from any of their legacies either! In fact, if there’s anyone who’s arguably in this league with Seaver and Alonso, it’s probably Franco. The former team captain grew up in Brooklyn and spent 14 years with the Mets. Bonus points for ooting for them as a youngster.

But at the end of the day, it’s hard to picture Mets fans loving anyone else like they do Seaver and Alonso. Alonso showed up to Citi Field as an Oriole and received a hero’s welcome. His milestone home run was just the cherry on top.

Similarly, Seaver too received ovation after ovation when he returned to Shea Stadium with the Reds on August 21, 1977. The future Hall of Famer, in an emotionally charged game, tossed a complete game with 11 strikeouts as Cincinnati won 5-1.

And the fans roared.