The Baltimore Orioles surprised the MLB world by signing star first baseman Pete Alonso in free agency earlier this offseason. Alonso made an appearance on Foul Territory on Monday and discussed his decision to sign with Baltimore.

“To be honest, it kind of started early, so it started right at the GM meetings,” Alonso said. “Mike (Elias) sat down with my agent Scott (Boras)… They just wanted to gauge interest. And for me, I’m like, they got a great, talented young core and Camden’s a very, very gorgeous park, it’s a great place to play. It’s always, for me, a very enjoyable place to hit. So I’m like yeah if they’re interested I’d love to hear what they had to say.

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“But really for me, the couple points that really… stood out was, they pretty much gave me a whole blue print… I just think for me, my game and what I can bring to a team, this is the perfect fit.”

Alonso, 31, is set to join an Orioles ball club that has serious aspirations of competing in the American League East. Baltimore had been competitive in previous seasons before falling short of their goals in 2025. The O’s are hopeful that the Alonso signing can help them get back on track.

Alonso, a five-time All-Star, brings serious right-handed power to the Orioles. He crushed 38 home runs in 2025 and his career-high in a season is 53 long balls. The former New York Mets star projects to be a quality fit within a deep Orioles lineup.

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For Alonso, he believes the Orioles’ core of players has potential. Additionally, Camden Yards seemed to play a role in his decision. It is a beautiful park, and it became more hitter-friendly for right-handed batters in 2025 after the team moved the left field fence in.

Alonso signed a five-year deal with Baltimore. There is a chance he will spend the rest of his career with the O’s. He surely wants to earn a World Series championship before walking away from the game, and the team’s young core of players could help him accomplish that feat.

For Baltimore, the focus now shifts to pitching. The Orioles recently acquired Shane Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays, but they could use another starter or two before the 2026 MLB season gets underway. Of course, it is also a part of the roster they could further address at the ’26 MLB trade deadline.