The Baltimore Orioles made their biggest splash of the offseason official. The team signed Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract on Dec. 10, inking the former Mets slugger to the largest per-annum deal in franchise history. And now that the Polar Bear has settled into Charm City, he’s sharing exactly how he’s feeling about the whole thing.
“It’s really refreshing to see not just Gunnar but the entire core play the way they play,” Alonso said, per Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. “They’re really good for the game of baseball. And for me, in order for this team, this organization, to get to the levels that they want to get to, I just want to complement them and help them the best that I possibly can.”
That’s not the sound of a superstar coming in to save a franchise. That’s a 31-year-old recognizing he’s walking into something special, something already built—and he’s here to fill in the gaps. For the Orioles, that’s exactly what they needed to hear.
MLB News – Pete Alonso: From New York Mets to Baltimore Orioles
After a brutal 2024 campaign where Alonso hit .240 with a career-worst .788 OPS, the Polar Bear came roaring back in 2025. He posted a .272 average with 38 home runs and 126 RBI across 162 games, earning his fifth All-Star selection and first Silver Slugger Award. His .871 OPS represented nearly a 100-point climb from the year prior.
The numbers tell a deeper story. His .524 slugging percentage was the best since his record-breaking 2019 rookie campaign. His hard-hit percentage (89 in MLB, 3rd overall) jumped significantly, and his exit velocity climbed to 93.5 mph, the 7th-best in the sport. These weren’t fluky numbers. These were the stats of a slug remembering exactly who he was.
The Mets, however, weren’t willing to pay for that remembrance. When it came time to negotiate, New York’s front office under David Stearns hesitated to offer more than three guaranteed years. The Orioles, meanwhile, stepped in with the full five-year commitment Alonso had been chasing since his first free agency stint last winter.
Baltimore Orioles Ready to Win Now
One year ago, it looked like the future was here for Baltimore. The Orioles won 101 games, claimed the AL East, and made their first division title in over a decade. But 2025 brought a reality check. Baltimore finished 75-87, a stunning 26-game decline that exposed real gaps in the roster.
Alonso is an answer to one of the team’s issues. Baltimore’s first basemen and DHs combined for a brutal .375 slugging percentage last season, ranking 28th in the majors. The Orioles chased Kyle Schwarber hard, even matching the Phillies‘ $150 million offer, but came up short. Instead, they pivoted to someone younger, healthier, and arguably just as dangerous.
Alonso and the Oriole Way
In his conversations with the Baltimore media, Alonso has repeatedly referenced something the organization is calling the “New Oriole Way”—a process-driven, all-encompassing tactical plan designed to be executed consistently.
When asked what it actually means, Alonso essentially said fans would figure it out once they watched the team play, per Rich Dubroff.
“You’ll find out,” he said. “When you see the product on the field and when you watch it over the course of time over the season, you’ll be able to put your finger on it and explain it pretty well.”
What we do know: It’s inclusive. It’s strategic. And it has Alonso—a seven-time All-Star who shattered the Mets’ franchise home run record with 264 dingers—ready to accept a complementary role rather than a lead role.
“It’s been awesome to be a part of and feel the momentum,” Alonso said about the shift in the organization’s commitment to winning. “It’s our job on the field to go do it and make the most of every day and come out with a win.”
American League East Up for Grabs
The Yankees added pitching. The Blue Jays acquired Dylan Cease. The Red Sox remain heavily active. And now the Orioles—already positioned to contend—added one of the most feared sluggers in baseball. The AL East just got a whole lot louder.
For Alonso, it’s a fresh start with a franchise that actually wanted him. For Baltimore, it’s proof that when the window opens, you don’t just develop talent. You buy it.
Ex-Mets’ Star Pete Alonso Calls Orioles Move ‘Refreshing’