The New York Mets endured one of the most emotionally charged nights of their disappointing 2026 season Monday, and the frustration inside Citi Field was impossible to ignore. While Mets fans warmly welcomed former star Pete Alonso back to Queens in his first appearance at Citi Field as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, the mood quickly shifted when supporters turned their anger toward president of baseball operations David Stearns.
As Alonso stepped to the plate for the first time, Citi Field erupted in cheers for the former Mets slugger. But during the game, a very different chant began echoing through the stadium: “Fire Stearns!” The contrast captured the complicated emotions surrounding a franchise that has gone from enormous offseason expectations to an early elimination from postseason contention.
Baltimore ultimately defeated New York 2-1, officially eliminating the Mets from the playoffs. Although the club’s postseason hopes had been fading for weeks, the mathematical elimination on the same night as Alonso’s return made the occasion particularly painful for many fans.
Alonso’s presence only intensified the emotions. The longtime Mets first baseman received standing ovations and repeated chants of his name throughout the evening. He spent seven seasons in New York and became one of the most recognizable players in the franchise’s recent history before leaving as a free agent following the 2025 season.
The Mets’ decision to let Alonso leave has remained one of the biggest talking points surrounding Stearns, especially as New York’s 2026 season has unraveled. Alonso signed a five-year, $155 million contract with Baltimore, while the Mets attempted to reshape their roster through other major investments.
New York entered the season with an enormous payroll and high expectations after spending heavily on players such as Juan Soto, Luis Robert Jr. and Devin Williams. The organization appeared determined to build a roster capable of competing deep into October. Instead, the Mets struggled badly, endured a lengthy losing streak and eventually found themselves at the bottom of the NL East.
That disconnect between spending and results has fueled growing criticism of Stearns.
The chants inside Citi Field represented more than frustration over one loss. They reflected the disappointment of a fanbase that expected a major-market team with enormous financial resources to be competing for a playoff spot rather than watching the postseason from home.
The situation became even more striking because Alonso was standing in the opposing dugout while Mets supporters celebrated him. The former first baseman remains immensely popular in New York, and his reception highlighted just how strong the connection between the player and fanbase remains.
At the same time, some supporters appear to view Alonso’s departure as symbolic of larger problems within the organization.
The Mets’ season has been particularly difficult because of the expectations surrounding the club. New York has invested heavily in its roster over the past several seasons, making the lack of postseason baseball especially frustrating. The team did manage to show signs of life late in the campaign, winning six of its previous 10 games entering the latest stretch, but that late improvement was nowhere near enough to rescue the season.
The Mets entered Tuesday at 69-81, sitting last in the National League East with only a handful of games remaining. Their late-season improvement may offer some encouragement heading into 2027, but it has done little to erase the damage caused by the first several months of the campaign.
That is why the timing of Monday’s chants was so significant.
The Mets were eliminated on the same night that Alonso returned, creating an uncomfortable reminder of the decisions that helped shape the current roster. While it would be too simplistic to blame one executive or one decision for the team’s collapse, Alonso’s departure has become an especially sensitive issue among supporters.
For Stearns, the challenge now extends far beyond surviving the criticism of one difficult night. He must convince Mets fans that the organization has a clear plan for rebuilding the roster and returning to contention in 2027.
The Mets have significant resources, a major market and the financial ability to make substantial changes. But the front office will have to make those decisions carefully after a season in which several major investments failed to produce the desired results.
Meanwhile, Alonso’s return provided a reminder of what Mets fans once had. Even while wearing an Orioles uniform, he remained one of the most celebrated figures in the building. His reception showed that his seven seasons in New York left a lasting mark, regardless of how his departure unfolded.
Monday’s night therefore became a snapshot of the Mets’ current reality: cheers for a beloved former star, anger directed at the front office, and the painful confirmation that another expensive Mets roster will not be playing October baseball.
The Mets will now turn their attention toward the offseason, where Stearns and the rest of the front office face enormous pressure to fix the problems that produced this disappointing campaign. If the organization fails to make meaningful changes, the chants that began during Alonso’s return could become an increasingly common soundtrack at Citi Field.
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