Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso will make his return tonight to his former team, the New York Mets, at Citi Field as the Orioles begin a three-game set in New York, with first pitch beginning at 7:10 PM E.T. The right-hander Brandon Young will get the ball for Baltimore. Young has a 9-4 record with a 3.17 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 140.1 innings pitched.
23-year-old right-hander Jonah Tong will get the start for the Mets. Tong, who was recently recalled to the big leagues a week ago from Triple-A Syracuse, has pitched in only four big-league games this year and has posted a 2-1 record with a 4.80 ERA, 14 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched, and a 1.33 WHIP. Tong made his major league debut last season and had a 2-3 record with a 7.71 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.
Alonso Will Play First Game Against His Former Team
First baseman Pete Alonso, however, will get the spotlight in front of his former home crowd. The Mets drafted Alonso in the 2nd round (64th) overall in the 2016 MLB Draft. Alonso is the all-time Mets home run leader with 264, a mark he surpassed Darryl Strawberry on August 12th, 2025. Alonso signed with the Baltimore Orioles this past offseason to a five-year, $155 million deal. Alonso is having a strong 2026 campaign, posting a solid 4.1 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) with 35 home runs, 100 RBI’s, and a .862 OPS in 150 games and 561 total plate appearances.
What makes Alonso stand out as a player outside of being a well-known power hitter is the consistency he brings to the field. He’s never played fewer than 152 games in a season, except in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic season. Will Sammon of The Athletic reported in December of 2025 that the Mets had “some interest” in bringing back Alonso, but not at the contract terms he was seeking.
As a result, the Red Sox and Orioles became heavily involved in pursuing Alonso, and he chose Baltimore. Interestingly enough, Alonso is also just one home run shy of his 300th career home run, which he has a chance to do this week over the course of the next three days at Citi Field, in front of Mets fans and his home for the previous seven seasons.
Alonso’s Return Will Be Touching Tribute
It should certainly be quite the homecoming return for Alonso and a Mets fanbase that certainly cherished his time in a Mets uniform. It will likely also be a touching and personal tribute to Alonso, who had several big moments for the Mets organization since his call-up in 2019 as a top prospect.
Alonso was ranked as the Mets’ number one prospect in 2019. He was drafted as a power-hitting first baseman from the University of Florida. He will easily go down as one of the best players to put on a Mets uniform in franchise history, so these next three days will be interesting to follow as the Orioles look to remain in the playoff chase, just four games back of a wild card spot.
Pete Alonso Makes Long Awaited Return To Mets’ Citi Field Tonight