NEW YORK – The excitement was palpable at Citi Field as Juan Soto made a triumphant home debut with the New York Mets, though the familiar roar for Pete Alonso, a fan favorite, did not go unheard. Alonso knocked a two-run homer early on, while Soto chipped in with an RBI double, propelling the Mets to a decisive 5-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. These performances highlighted the prowess of the team’s recent high-profile acquisitions from the offseason.
Reflecting on a victorious start to the home opener, Alonso remarked, “I don’t think it could have gone any better. The energy was super high the entire game in the ballpark. You couldn’t write up a better start to the home opener.” The Mets had just returned from a balanced 3-3 season-opening road trip, igniting fans who were keen on witnessing Soto’s first home game since signing a staggering $765 million, 15-year deal in December.
With Soto’s No. 22 jersey ubiquitous in the crowd of 43,945, the atmosphere was electric. Fans donned blue-and-orange “Seven Juan Eight” T-shirts, alluding to the 718 area code of Queens, adding to the excitement. Soto, acknowledging the passionate fan base, said, “It feels great. This fan base, it’s amazing. Like I said in the past, I didn’t realize how many fans they have and how passionate they are. It’s really cool.”
In his anticipated first at-bat, Soto was met with a standing ovation, though he popped up with Francisco Lindor on second. However, Alonso lit up the stadium by sending a 1-2 fastball from Kevin Gausman soaring over the right-field fence for his third home run in the past four matches.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza expressed his thrill, noting, “It’s pretty cool, I’m not going to lie. He was in the dugout and everybody’s kind of waiting for that moment as he’s walking towards the plate. Standing ovation — he means a lot to the people, the fans. And then for him to go out there first at-bat and goes the other way, kind of setting the tone right away. First at-bat of the season here at Citi Field for him after the offseason with all the rumors and all that, it’s a pretty cool feeling for him and for all of us.”
Alonso, who faced uncertainty during the off-season about contract negotiations, eventually re-signed with the Mets on a $54 million, two-year contract in February, an announcement that alleviated significant fan anxiety. Reflecting on the offseason dilemma, teammate Brandon Nimmo admitted, “But there was a time this offseason where things were getting pretty sticky there at the end. So we were definitely worried, but I’m glad we don’t have to worry about that anymore. We’re sitting here with Juan Soto and Pete Alonso right in the middle of our lineup, and that’s two guys that are real hard to pitch to.”
Now settled back with the Mets, Alonso has been on a tear and received a rapturous curtain call after his round-tripper. He reflected on the fanfare saying, “It was sick. I mean, just, that type of stuff is what you dream about as a kid. And to have that type of support being reciprocated, I mean, it’s really special for sure, and I enjoyed every second of it.”
As the game unfolded, the Mets extended their lead as Lindor drew a walk off Gausman, prompting Blue Jays’ manager John Schneider to call in rookie Mason Fluharty. Soto seized the moment, driving an RBI double to right, much to Lindor’s confidence in his capabilities, “He’s a showman. He’s one of those guys that when the lights are on and everybody is on top of him, he performs.”
Alonso’s subsequent intentional walk was followed by a Nimmo double that sent Soto home, contributing to the victory margin. Soto ended his night 1 for 4, also showcasing his defensive prowess with a measured play in right field, later affirming, “I think everything went our way.”
Filled with satisfaction, Alonso concurred, noting the significance of the day, “For it being the first one back, it’s for sure really special. Where it fits on the list, I don’t really know. But I mean, it’s definitely up there,” crowning the event as exceptionally memorable, “Today is very, very special, very picturesque, very storybook-like.”