The Baltimore Orioles landed one of the biggest free agents on the market when they signed Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract, and it turns out the slugger did his homework before making the move.
Before putting pen to paper, Alonso called up his former Mets manager Buck Showalter, who also spent eight seasons managing the Orioles from 2010 to 2018, and the veteran skipper had nothing but great things to say about his potential new home.
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“He had nothing but beautiful things to say,” Alonso said about his conversation with Showalter.
Showalter’s Seal of Approval
Showalter knows both Alonso and the Orioles organization very well, which made him the perfect person to call for advice.
He managed Alonso during the 2022 season in New York and led Baltimore to three playoff appearances during his tenure, so his opinion carries a lot of weight.
The fact that Showalter gave the Orioles such a strong endorsement clearly played a role in Alonso’s decision to sign with the team.
The five-time All-Star is coming off a strong 2025 season where he hit .272 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs while playing all 162 games for the Mets, and he also led the National League with 41 doubles and won his first Silver Slugger Award.
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What Alonso Brings to Baltimore
The Orioles finished 2025 with a 75-87 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022, so adding a bat like Alonso is exactly what the front office needed to bounce back.
Baltimore’s offense struggled last season and finished 24th in runs scored, but Alonso should help change that by giving the lineup a proven power threat alongside shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who hit .274 with 17 home runs in 2025, and catcher Adley Rutschman.
Alonso has been one of the steadiest power hitters in baseball since setting the rookie home run record with 53 in 2019, and he has hit at least 34 home runs in every full season of his career.
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His bat speed ranked in the 91st percentile last season and his average exit velocity of 93.5 mph was in the 97th percentile, which shows his power should translate well to Camden Yards.
The signing marks the largest contract in president of baseball operations Mike Elias’ seven-year tenure and signals a new willingness to spend under owner David Rubenstein.
With Showalter’s blessing and Alonso now in the fold, the Orioles look ready to make a push back to the top of the AL East in 2026.