In a bit of shocking news, the Baltimore Orioles have reportedly agreed to a new contract with free agent first baseman Pete Alonso. According to Jeff Passan, the deal is for five years and $155M.
BREAKING: First baseman Pete Alonso and the Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a five-year, $155 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Alonso leaves the Mets to make a loaded AL East even better.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 10, 2025
The development comes on the heels of yesterday’s report that the O’s offered free agent Kyle Schwarber the exact same deal he ended up taking to stay in Philadelphia.
Kyle Schwarber's known offers, per @Ken_Rosenthal:
Orioles – 5/150
Reds – 5/125
Pirates – 4/120Schwarber re-signed with the Phillies for 5 years, $150M.
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) December 9, 2025
This prompted the expected cynical reaction from much of beaten-down Birdland, that Schwarbs just used the Orioles to do his negotiating for him, and that it was merely the start of another offseason of Mike Elias & Co. “almost” signing players they were “reportedly in on.”
Instead, it looks to truly be a new day in Birdland. It’s not confederate money any more, baby!
Alonso, who turned 31 three days ago, has 264 home runs in seven seasons in New York, amassing a slash line of .253/.341/.516, good for a 135 OPS+. He’s played in 162 games each of the last two seasons, and 152 or more every year except the goofy 2020 season. In 2025, Alonso hit .272/.347/.524 with 38 HR, 126 RBI, and a 144 OPS+.
This likely means curtains for Ryan Mountcastle in Baltimore, and Coby Mayo now becomes exponentially more likely to be traded for starting pitching in the coming weeks or months. According to Bob Nightengale, the O’s “are still in hot pursuit of a front-line starter. Tatsuya Imai, Ranger Suarez, Framber Valdez are all potential options while they continue to aggressively monitor trade options.”
Samuel Basallo and Adley Rutschman will round out the catcher/1B/DH rotation here, in all likelihood.
As a personal aside, I would like this contract to include the stipulation that Alonso apologize for the 2021 Home Run Derby, in which he defeated a fresh-off-beating-cancer Trey Mancini in the final.
Welcome to Baltimore, Polar Bear! David Rubenstein can throw out polar bear hats now and people will get off his back, right?
The Baltimore Orioles lineup might have the best lineup in baseball. Whatever order Craig Albernaz chooses, he’s got Gunnar Henderson, Pete Alonso, Jordan Westburg, Taylor Ward, Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday, Sam Basallo, Dylan Beavers and Colton Cowser. A wrecking crew.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 10, 2025
