Griffin Canning’s first pitch of the game versus the Cubs.

On Sunday I made my first visit to Citi Field of the 2025 baseball season.

Man, do I love being there.

It’s a little tricky, because the Mets have been playing great, and fans have been coming out in droves.

Which means Citi Field is more crowded than I’m used to.

I wasn’t sure what to expect on Sunday - it was Mother’s Day, and the game started at noon because it was airing on Roku as part of their baseball package.

Last year, for example, I went to the Mets game on Mother’s Day and it was the Sunday night game on ESPN as part of their baseball package. The Mets were not playing as well, and the weather was much, much chillier, and it was a giveaway so there was a line to get in, but attendance did not pick up much after that initial rush.

This year, there was a giveaway and there were crowds to get in, and then there were crowds everywhere throughout the game.

I forgot how much I spoiled myself with my season ticket membership the past couple of years, last year especially. I went to a chilly early-season game with my brother last year and realized our seats were constantly shaded from the sun. It was not great that day but I knew it would be great in the summer months. I also had early entry on giveaway days with my membership, so I could get my Citi Field ‘alone time.’

Now, I’m just your average Joe. Me and my daughter waited in line to get in for our giveaway, and then waited in line to get into the team store. (We both got new hats. Her, maybe third Mets hat in her life. My third Mets hat in three years. I have a problem.)

The lines for food weren’t so bad…but the sun was hot in the nice seats I treated us to down on the field level. (Our view is pictured above.)

Sundays are Family Days at Citi Field and I think that means they break out this giant blow-up Mr. Met?

I had the steak sandwich that is probably my favorite thing to get at Citi Field these days. My daughter had the chicken tenders and fries. She also had Dippin’ Dots toward the end of the game and I got a chocolate shake (we took a couple of concession breaks to get out of the sun) in a cool Mister Softee souvenir cup that has a built-in straw that I can use for future shakes and smoothies. (And, though the large chocolate shake is definitely a risky move with a 3-hour drive home after the game [almost 4 hours with traffic, as it turned out], I suffered no repercussions. The baseball gods smiled on me on Sunday.)

As for the game? Well, it was back and forth - 1-0 Mets, then 1-1. 2-1 Mets, then 2-2. The Mets broke it open with a very exciting eighth inning when Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff home run, and then Brandon Nimmo padded the lead with a 2-run shot - the second year in a row I saw him hit a late-inning 2-run homer on Mother’s Day.

I don’t mean to complain about the lines and the sun. I had a great time. I just want to acknowledge that it’s rough - the Mets are good, but that means I don’t get quiet days with Citi Field practically to myself anymore.

It’s still one of my favorite places to be - I’m just going to be there a lot less this year while a lot of other people are going to be there a lot more.

Which I guess is why I’ll savor my fewer visits.

I’ll still get there a couple of hours early, which this weekend meant 10:30am for a 12 noon start. (Kind of ideal, to be honest.)

That won’t change.

And neither, apparently, will be the exciting brand of baseball the Mets have been playing. I saw a lot of games last year with late-inning rallies, same as on Sunday.

I’ll make at least two more trips - I think each of my daughters would like to see a game and I’m certainly willing to take them.

I can’t imagine any of those trips will be a disappointment.