After stunning the baseball world by landing Pete Alonso on a five-year, $155 million contract, the Orioles are introducing their new All-Star first baseman in a news conference at Camden Yards right now that is being streamed live at Orioles.com and MLB.com.
Alonso’s deal marked the highest average annual value given to a first baseman. It is also the highest AAV in Orioles history and the second-largest financial commitment made in the history of the Orioles, who hadn’t made this type of splash since signing Chris Davis to a seven-year, $161 million deal in 2016.
Alonso will significantly upgrade an offense that underperformed this past season as Baltimore went 75-87 and finished in last place in the American League East. The 31-year-old is a five-time All-Star who won his first National League Silver Slugger Award in 2025, when he hit .272 with 41 doubles, 38 home runs, 126 RBIs and an .871 OPS in 162 games.
In seven MLB seasons (all with the Mets), Alonso has clubbed 264 homers, including at least 34 in each of the past five years. The Polar Bear is a two-time Home Run Derby champion (2019 and ‘21), has received NL MVP Award votes in three of the past four seasons and played all 162 games in both ‘24 and ‘25. He also has the reputation of being a good teammate with a goofy personality and demeanor.
The addition of Alonso could lead to Ryan Mountcastle and/or Coby Mayo becoming trade chips. Baltimore still hasn’t acquired any starting pitchers this offseason, and it is currently exploring all avenues to doing so.
The Alonso signing is the immediate focus, though, and proved that Baltimore has emerged as a legitimate player on the free-agent market moving forward.
