As Baltimore Orioles fans sat on their couches in October, the sting of disappointment grew as they watched an AL East foe reach the World Series and nearly win it. The division rival Toronto Blue Jays, who extended their home-grown star earlier in the year, came inches away from toppling the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
With several holes to fill on the roster, the impending offseason was crucial for the future of the Orioles. A repeat of the the 2024 offseason could see the homegrown players, who O’s fans waited years to see make the big leagues, start to want out of the Charm City.
Out of the gates, Mike Elias and company made a surprising move, trading Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels for Taylor Ward. While Ward’s 36 homeruns and 103 RBIs from 2024 can certainly help the lineup, trading away a fan-favorite player with five years of control was equally confusing as it was intriguing.
Next, the team signed Ryan Helsley to a two-year, $28 million contract, filling Felix Bautista’s closer spot while he recovers from a torn rotator cuff and labrum. A bullpen that needs a rework for 2026 now has a two-time All Star at its head.
While these moves help the team, none of them can be categorized as “pennant-catapulting.”
Then a cold front hit Baltimore. The Orioles signed Pete Alonso to a five year, $155 million contract. After hearing throughout the offseason that the Orioles were in on the big fish in this free-agency pond, the front office finally reeled in one of the biggest.
After just missing out on Kyle Schrawber, the O’s handed out its second-largest contract in franchise history.
The impact of this signing will not just be seen on the field, but also in the future when Baltimore comes to the negotiation table.
What the Heck is a Polar Bear Doing in Baltimore, Maryland?
The Orioles have been searching for a right-handed bat to compliment their mostly left-handed core. Last year, their search landed them Tyler O’Neill and Gary Sanchez, both of whom did not pan out. This year, the O’s took a much bigger swing to say the least.
Alonso is a former Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger, two-time Home Run Derby champ, and a five-time All-Star. The 31-year-old has also only missed 24 games across his seven seasons in the big leagues.
The former Florida Gator has a career .857 OPS, 264 homeruns, 712 RBIs, and .516 slugging percentage. The Tampa native also broke the Mets’ franchise records for home runs last year.
Alonso provides thump from the right side and from first base for an Orioles team that desperately needs it. O’s first basemen hit .251/.315/.383 with 14 homeruns and 60 RBIs this past season, all of which are not great for a position that conventionally has great hitters.
The addition also adds a prolific righty to a lineup that has relied heavily on the bat of Jordan Westburg when facing left-handed pitching.
In his career, Alonso slashes .232/.336/.499 against southpaws with a 125 wRC+. In comparison, the O’s hit .231/.297/.364 in 2025 against lefties with only 45 homeruns. Challenging for a World Series is difficult when your team struggles against all left-handed pitching.
The former Gator also has solid playoff numbers. In 16 games, the righty is slashing .278/.429/.574 and five home runs, including that Game 3 go-ahead home run in the ninth against the Brewers in 2024.
Alonso is exactly the kind of prolific hitter the team needed to compliment its core. His addition can take pressure off of the young guys and provides the clubhouse with a leader who has played under the brightest lights possible.
We know the kind of impact that the Polar Bear can have on the field, but the impact this signing has off the field might change the direction of this franchise.
A Beacon of Hope
As the shock and awe of the move swept through the MLB landscape, insiders and TV personalities spoke about how big this move was and how surprising it was that the Mets did not even extend an offer to their all-time homer leader.
However, after initial buzz wore off, those narratives and talking points switched.
While the impact on the field is immense, the impact this can have off the field could be larger. How free agents and current players on the roster view the team has seemingly switched overnight.
Let’s start with the first group: free agents.
Since the O’s were purchased by a new ownership group, headed by Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein, every offseason has started with ownership saying they will do whatever they have to in order to bring a World Series back to Baltimore.
Before the Alonso signing, that statement did not seem to have much validity, as the largest contract they handed out was to Tyler O’Neill. And we have all seen how that is playing out.
Making this commitment to Alonso signals to other free agents that they are finally ready to play ball for the big names on the market. No longer is the team just going to nibble around the edges to try and compete.
Insiders shared similar sentiment after the signing was announced. Ken Rosenthal believes this is just the tip of the iceberg, an exciting sign for the Orioles faithful.
Now let’s focus on the second group: players already on the team.
As several of the Orioles’ promising rookie contracts grow closer to their completion, extension conversations get louder each year.
While the Sameul Basallo extension was a great first step, the price to resign Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday is only getting higher.
So, when the Orioles played ball with a big-time player, who happens to be represented by Scott Boras — the same agent that represents Henderson, Westburg and Holliday — it signals to those players that the team can be taken seriously.
During Alonso’s introductory press conference, Boras even said that the trio called him after the Alonso signing was announced, impressed by the team’s commitment.
Boras is going to do everything he can to get his guys the most money possible. The only difference now is that it seems like the Orioles are also going to do everything they can to bring them back.
Where do the Orioles go from here?
From the countless posts on social media to the billboards around the city, it is evident that this team, and its fans, are excited for Orioles baseball.
During a season where Lamar Jackson and the Ravens should be dominating Baltimore airwaves and water-cooler talk, Alonso’s arrival has people itching for spring training.
While the lineup is looking like one of the best in baseball, the pitching staff still needs work. It will not matter how many home runs Alonso hits if the pitchers cannot keep the other team from scoring.
However, finally, it seems like the front office is ready to commit big money on impact players that can help this team bounce back.
With reports saying the team is in on Framber Valdez, Michael King and Ranger Suarez, it will be very interesting to see how this team looks come mid-February.
