First baseman Pete Alonso and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a five-year, $155 million contract, the team announced Thursday. The deal includes a partial no-trade clause and represents one of the most significant free-agent signings in Orioles history. Baltimore emerged as the winner in the sweepstakes for the slugging first baseman, securing one of baseball’s premier power hitters.
Alonso’s contract carries the highest average annual value ever given to a first baseman and becomes the largest AAV (Average Annual Value) in Orioles history. It is also the second-largest total financial commitment the franchise has made, trailing only the seven-year, $161 million deal signed by Chris Davis in 2016. The signing signals a major shift for Baltimore as the organization looks to rebound quickly after a disappointing 2025 season.
After failing to secure the long-term deal he sought with the New York Mets, Alonso played the 2025 season on a $30 million contract and delivered one of the strongest years of his career. Batting behind Juan Soto for the first time, he slashed .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs. Despite his production, the Mets ultimately chose not to extend an offer, allowing Alonso to reach free agency.
A five-time All-Star, Alonso became the Mets’ all-time home run leader in August, surpassing Darryl Strawberry’s record of 252. He leaves New York with 264 career home runs, ranking among the game’s elite power hitters since his 2019 debut. That rookie season featured a record-breaking 53 home runs, and his 264 homers over the past seven years trail only Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber during that span.
Alonso has hit at least 34 home runs in every full 162-game season of his career. He also continues to produce beyond pure power, leading the National League with 41 doubles in 2025 and excelling in run-producing situations. With runners in scoring position, Alonso owns a career .933 OPS and hit .309/.401/.634 in those spots last season.
Since 2019, Alonso’s 135 OPS+ ranks tied for 16th in Major League Baseball, placing him just behind stars such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Mookie Betts. He won his first National League Silver Slugger Award in 2025 and has received MVP votes in three of the past four seasons.
Alonso’s durability has been another defining trait of his career. Since debuting, he has appeared in 1,008 of a possible 1,032 games, a 97.7% participation rate, and played all 162 games in both 2024 and 2025. He is also a two-time Home Run Derby champion, winning the event in 2019 and 2021.
For the Orioles, the addition of Alonso could mark a turning point in the Mike Elias era. Baltimore finished 75–87 and last in the AL East in 2025, but the club now adds a proven middle-of-the-order bat as it aims to return to the postseason for the third time in four years in 2026.
