There have been reports all off-season that the Baltimore Orioles were serious about throwing down cash in an effort to get better, and on Wednesday afternoon, that finally manifested in a major signing.
One day after the Orioles were spurned by Kyle Schwarber after matching the Philadelphia Phillies’ offer for the slugger, Baltimore turned its focus to another power hitter, signing first baseman Pete Alonso to an almost identical contract.
This represents the largest free-agent signing in the tenure of Orioles president and GM Mike Elias, and he might not be done reshaping his club ahead of a season that promises to boast a compelling American League East.
Here’s a closer look:
The deal
Pete Alonso agrees to a five-year, $155 million deal with the Orioles. One day earlier, Schwarber agreed to a five-year, $150 million deal with Philadelphia.
The runners-up
Alonso was drafted by the New York Mets in 2016 and spent seven major-league seasons with the organization, etching himself into the record books as the Mets’ all-time home run leader. New York was rumoured to have an interest in bringing back the slugger, but according to Joel Sherman of The New York Post, the club never actually made an offer to Alonso.
The player
As far as right-handed power goes, Alonso was an unparalleled bat on the free-agent market. The durable four-time all-star is coming off an excellent offensive campaign that saw him blast 38 home runs with a 144 OPS-plus.
He’s averaged 37 homers per season since he broke into the big leagues in 2019, and over that span, his 264 long balls rank second to only Schwarber (268) and Aaron Judge (285).
Next year will be Alonso’s age-31 season, and so the Orioles figure to receive strong production from his bat well into the five-year deal. His defence and baserunning are subpar, and at some point in the near future, he could find himself cemented in the designated hitter role.
To that end, he’s the right-handed Schwarber in some ways. That’s fine as long as he continues to rake the way he has. Many predictive metrics favour Alonso, including an 18.9 per cent barrel rate and .560 expected slugging percentage that both rank in the 98th percentile.
The fit
The Orioles finished last in the AL East with a disappointing 75-87 record, and among the areas for Elias to improve was offensive production at first base. Last season, the club’s 14 homers and 60 RBIs from the position ranked last in MLB.
Alonso instantly addresses that, and he should get plenty of opportunities to drive in runs with a lineup that features Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday and Taylor Ward, who was acquired earlier in the off-season from the Angels. Alonso and the right-handed hitting Ward combined for 74 home runs last season, and now pitchers in the AL East will need to take notice.
Baltimore has also been pursuing a top-end starting pitcher, according to reports, and big names such as Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez remain unsigned.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Mets will have a new look next season as David Stearns, president of baseball operations, restructures a team that finished 83-79 and missed the playoffs despite having the second-largest 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 Semien are among the new faces in Queens, and it remains to be seen how Stearns will further complement a roster that already has Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor.
The market
MLB Trade Rumors predicted a four-year, $110-million deal for Alonso. He blew past that deal in both term and total value.
The next domino
Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette are the top position players on the board, followed by the next tier that includes Alex Bregman and Cody Bellinger. One could wonder if the Mets might show more interest in any of those players now that there’s a clear need for offence.
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