The Baltimore Orioles signed Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract on Wednesday, landing the slugger after missing out on Kyle Schwarber.
The Orioles had offered Schwarber an identical five-year, $150 million deal before pivoting to Alonso. They beat out the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox for the first baseman’s services.
ESPN’s David Schoenfield handed Baltimore a “B” grade for the signing. That’s a notch below the “A” the Philadelphia Phillies received for their Schwarber deal, but it’s still solid recognition for what amounts to Baltimore’s biggest move this winter.
“He’ll provide a jolt to a lineup that needed it. The $31 million AAV, combined with Alonso’s age and lack of all-around game, limits the grade here, but he’ll help the Orioles, at least until the .220, 25-homer seasons pop up at the end of this deal.”
That’s where the long-term concerns come in.
Schoenfield’s reasoning makes sense – this move should absolutely help Baltimore’s lineup in the short term, but paying a 31-year-old first baseman $31 million annually through his age-35 season carries risk. The final years could get ugly.
But let’s focus on what Alonso brings right now. He’s coming off a .272/.329/.542 slash line with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs in 2024. His .871 OPS ranked 11th in Major League Baseball, exactly the kind of production that can turn a playoff contender into a World Series threat.
That’s what this signing is really about – taking Baltimore’s already competitive roster and giving it the power boost it’s been missing. Alonso isn’t the best hitter in baseball, but he’s proven he can drive in runs and change games with one swing.
The contract breakdown works out to exactly $31 million per season, which feels like market value for a player of Alonso’s caliber. Whether it ages well depends on how his power holds up as he moves through his thirties.
From where I’m sitting, this is exactly the type of calculated risk contending teams should be making. The Orioles have their window open now, and adding a middle-of-the-order bat like Alonso gives them a legitimate chance to compete with the top teams in the American League.
The grade might be a “B,” but sometimes good moves don’t need to be perfect moves. Baltimore gets their slugger, and fans get to watch meaningful October baseball with a lineup that can actually score runs when it matters.
