Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Reports have been around all offseason that the Baltimore Orioles were serious about throwing cash in an effort to get better, and on Wednesday afternoon, that finally showed up in a big signing.
A day after the Orioles were rejected by Kyle Schwarber after matching the slugger’s offer from the Phillies, Baltimore turned its attention to another power hitter, signing first baseman Pete Alonso to a nearly identical contract.
This represents the largest free agent signing in the tenure of Orioles president and GM Mike Elias, and he may not be done retooling his club before a season that promises to make the mighty American League East proud.
Here’s a closer look:
Pete Alonso agrees to five-year, $155 million deal with Orioles. A day earlier, Schwarber agreed to a five-year, $150 million deal with Philadelphia.
Alonso was drafted by the New York Mets in 2016 and spent seven major-league seasons with the organization, entering the record books as the Mets’ all-time home run leader. New York was rumored to be interested in bringing the slugger back, but according to Joel Sherman. New York Post, The club never made an offer to Alonso.
As far as right-handed power goes, Alonso was an unbeatable bat on the free agent market. The durable four-time All-Star is coming off an impressive offensive campaign that saw him hit 38 home runs with a 144 OPS-plus.
He has averaged 37 homers per season since entering the big leagues in 2019, and during that span, his 264 long balls are second only to Schwarber (268) and Aaron Judge (285).
Alonso will be 31-years-old next year, and so the Orioles figure to get solid production from his bat in a five-year deal. His defense and baserunning are subpar, and at some point in the near future, he could find himself cemented into a designated hitter role.
To that end, he is Schwarber’s right-hand man in some ways. It’s fine as long as he continues to rack up this way. Several predictive metrics favor Alonso, including an 18.9 percent barrel rate and a .560 expected slugging percentage that both rank in the 98th percentile.
The Orioles finished last in the AL East with a disappointing 75-87 record, and one of the areas to improve for Elias was offensive production at first base. Last season, the club’s 14 homers and 60 RBI ranked last in MLB.
Alonso hits immediately, and he should get plenty of opportunities to drive in runs with a lineup that includes Gunner Henderson, Jackson Holiday and Taylor Ward, who was previously acquired from the Angels in the offseason. Alonso and the right-handed hitting Ward hit 74 home runs last season, and now the pitchers in the AL East will need to take notice.
Baltimore is also reportedly pursuing a high-end starting pitcher, and big names like Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez are unsigned.
It’s also worth noting that the Mets will have a new look next season as President of Baseball Operations David Stearns rebuilds a team that finished 83-79 and missed the playoffs despite having the second-highest payroll in MLB.
Gone is franchise icon Alonso, along with pillars Edwin Diaz (Dodgers) and Brandon Nimmo (Rangers). Closer Devin Williams and second baseman Marcus Siemian are among the new faces in the Queens, and it remains to be seen if Stearns will further complement a roster that already has Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor.
MLB trade rumors suggested a four-year, $110-million deal for Alonso. He blew the deal both in the past and in overall value.
Kyle Tucker and Bo Bechette are the top position players on the board, followed by Alex Bregman and Cody Bellinger in the next tier. One wonders if the Mets might show more interest in any of these players given the obvious need on offense.
