Opening Day 2025 at Citi Field - Alonso's home run and the complete 1st inning. NYM v. TOR, 4/4/25

From the Mets' 2025 home opener at the Citi Field stadium, this is the entire first inning as seen from the first row in the 500 level on the third base side. You've probably seen clips from the TV broadcasts, but this is what it actually looked like if you were in the ballpark. New York Mets v. Toronto Blue Jays, April 4, 2025.

The presentation begins with the Mets' starting battery leaving the bullpen and making their way to the dugout. As they do, the 2025 pre-game hype video plays. Then, after an "Are you ready?" buildup of just over two minutes (during which time the Toronto pitching battery heads across the field from their bullpen to the visitors' dugout), the Mets take the field for the first time in 2025 at home. Watch as the on-field cameraman follows Juan Soto as he excitedly takes his place in right field. Graphics for starting pitcher Tylor Megill are shown as he takes his warmup throws. And then, after the Nike "Play Ball" (where a kid says "Play ball!"), it's time to begin. The very first pitch of the game is a 94.9mph four-seam fastball to Bo Bichette, who looks at it for called strike one.

Three men batted for Toronto in the top of the first inning:

1) Shortstop Bo Bichette, who in a 6-pitch at-bat connected with an 84.5mph Tylor Megill slider, grounding out (3B Mark Vientos to 1B Pete Alonso). One out.

2) First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr, who connected with the first pitch he saw, an 83.5mph Tylor Megill slider, grounding out (3B Mark Vientos to 1B Pete Alonso). Two out.

3) Right fielder Anthony Santander, who in a 4-pitch at-bat swung at an 85.3mph Tylor Megill slider, striking out (blocked). Three out, inning over. This was the first of four strikeouts Megill would get today.

And now it's the Mets' turn. Pitching for Toronto is Kevin Gausman. Five Mets would bat in this first inning, which would end with a double play, but not before the Mets cast what would be the fatal blow.

The batters Gausman faced were:

1) Shortstop Francisco Lindor, who connected with the first pitch he saw, a 91.4mph Kevin Gausman fastball on a line drive to center fielder George Springer. Lindor was called out at 2B, but the call was challeneged and overturned; Lindor was safe on 2B with his first double of the season.

2) Right fielder Juan Soto, in his first Citi Field at-bat as a Met. In a 7-pitch at-bat, Soto connected with a 96.1mph Kevin Gausman four-seam fastball, popping out to 2B Andres Gimenez. One out.

3) First baseman Pete Alonso, who in a 5-pitch at-bat connected with a 95.1mph Kevin Gausman four-seam fastball for a home run (3) on a fly ball to right field.
• Runner Francisco Lindor scores from 2B. Mets 1, Toronto 0.
• Batter Pete Alonso scores on the home run. Mets 2, Toronto 0.

4) Left fielder Brandon Nimmo, who in a 12-pitch at-bat looks at a 93.9mph Kevin Gausman four-seam fastball for ball four.
5) Designated hitter Starling Marte, who in a 6-pitch at-bat connected with an 82.6mph Kevin Gausman slider, lining into a double play (3B Ernie Clement to 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr).
• Batter Starling Marte is out on the play. Two out.
• Runner Brandon Nimmo is out at 1B. Three out.

My original intention was to end the video here. I kept the camera running so that when I edited the video for this presentation on You Tube I could find a good spot to fade out. However, coming up next was the Citi Community Home Run Challenge, where a fan gets one chance to fire a t-shirt into the iconic Home Run Apple. If he succeeds, he will win the people's ovation and fame forever. Okay, maybe not that, but he will win some prizes. Can he do it? You'll have to watch the video to find out, I'm not going to spoil it for you.

At this point I decided to keep recording until the start of the next inning. So, following the C.C.H.R.C., we see on the mighty Citi Field scoreboard:
• a fan for whom this was his 50th Opening Day
• a replay of Pete Alonso's home run
• Mets pitcher Tylor Megill warming up to pitch the top of the second inning
• Toronto second baseman Andres Gimenez, leading off the top of the inning, heading to the plate
• Gimenez' at-bat graphics as the M.C.F.S. returns to scoreboard mode

For completeness' sake, I decided to let the camera roll until Megill's first pitch to Gimenez was recorded on the right field scoreboard (a 94.2mph fastball for ball one).

The video was shot from section 525, row 1, seat 14.

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