OG Anunoby throws first pitch at Citi Field, swaps jerseys with Jose Reyes

Citi Field took a brief detour from the usual Mets-first-pitch rhythm on Sunday afternoon, when Knicks forward OG Anunoby stepped onto the mound for the ceremonial start. The league’s spotlight was still on the game against the Phillies, but the pregame moment belonged to the sports crossover Anunoby brought with him.

Anunoby, a longtime José Reyes fan, used the opportunity to connect with the former Mets shortstop who helped define the franchise’s early-2010s identity. According to MLB’s account of the visit, Anunoby and Reyes were able to meet before New York played Philadelphia, with the first pitch serving as the centerpiece of the exchange.

What followed was the kind of gesture that lands more with symbolism than statistics. MLB reported that Anunoby and Reyes swapped jerseys, with Reyes receiving the Knicks player’s uniform and Anunoby taking home a Mets look tied to the memories Reyes represents for many fans. For Anunoby, the moment was not about a matchup or a celebrity appearance, but a chance to honor the player who inspired him.

Reyes’ connection to the Mets is rooted in his role as a dynamic shortstop during his time in New York. In MLB’s telling, the story is framed plainly as a meeting between fandom and legacy, with Anunoby stepping into a stadium ritual that usually belongs to teammates, coaches, and local honorees, and instead turning it into a personal tribute.

From a broader sports perspective, the scene also highlighted how professional athletes in different leagues increasingly share the same playbook of attention and admiration. Anunoby’s appearance at a baseball venue, and Reyes’ willingness to embrace an NBA fan, underlined the common ground between fan bases in New York and the way superstar culture travels across sports.

For the Mets and Phillies, the pregame storyline was entertainment before the competitive work began. Still, the setting matters. Citi Field is built for moments like this, where the crowd sees a marquee public figure step into the baseball pageantry, and where a franchise icon like Reyes can be recognized again in front of today’s audience. With New York hosting Philadelphia, the on-field narrative remained the priority, but Sunday’s ceremonial exchange offered a reminder that fandom is one of the games’ real connective tissues.