The New York Mets played their final home game of the regular season Sunday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Citi Field. It also may have marked the last time Pete Alonso wears a Mets home uniform. Mets fans and home plate umpire John Libka recognized such and delivered a touching moment for Alonso before his first at-bat of the night.

“‘Are you going to tip your cap or something? I can give you time right here,” Alonso recalled Libka telling him as he approached the plate in the bottom of the first of a 2-1 Mets win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

“I was really happy that John reminded me.”

Alonso did in fact tip his cap to Mets fans, and tap his heart, as they gave him an ovation. He struck out in the at-bat and went 0-for-4 with three punchouts in the game. He recorded seven hits, including two home runs, during the Mets' final homestand of the year. New York went 6-1.

“It's wild. It's something you just really — you kind of hear about or read about or kind of see in movies,” Alonso said, per the Associated Press. “For me, it was really special.”

Signs pleading with the Mets to re-sign Alonso and asking the Mets' star first baseman to stay were scattered around the ballpark. The 29-year-old has been a fan favorite since winning NL Rookie of the Year following a 53-homer season in 2019.

Pete Alonso is set to become a free agent at the end of the season and the expectation is he'll take the largest deal offered. Considering he is a Scott Boras client, that wouldn’t be shocking. Alonso mentioned several times this year his desire to remain with the Mets.

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It was a playoff-like atmosphere at Citi Field Sunday night as the Mets clinched a series win over the Phillies. With it, the Mets improved to 87-69 and pulled into a tie with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second National League Wild Card berth.

More importantly, New York maintained a two-game lead over Atlanta for a playoff spot. The two NL East foes will meet this week for a three-game set. The Mets need one win to enter the final series of the season with a lead over the Braves.

New York travels to Milwaukee for its last series, while Atlanta hosts Kansas City. The Brewers clinched the NL Central while the Royals are clinging to a one-game lead in the AL Wild Card picture following their seventh consecutive loss.

There is work to do for the Mets to reach the playoffs and subsequently host a postseason game. They'd have to win their Wild Card Series and reach the NLDS to guarantee at least one home playoff game.

The MLB playoffs begin Oct. 1.