The Baltimore Orioles have a number of players who fans are surely thankful for, but there is one who stands above the rest this Christmas. In an MLB world where big market teams often dominate free agency, the O’s surprised the league by signing former New York Mets star Pete Alonso to a five-year deal. The Alonso signing signals that Baltimore wants to bounce back and make a postseason run as soon as possible, and the fans should be thankful for the star slugger this Christmas.

The Orioles’ 75-87 record in 2025 led to them finishing last in the American League East. While the record wouldn’t have placed them last in some other divisions, it was an underwhelming campaign for the O’s nonetheless.

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It was especially disappointing after the Orioles won 91 games in 2024 and earned a postseason spot. With a young core that was expected to continue to improve, Baltimore’s expectations were high for 2025. Their inexperience displayed itself, though, and the O’s fell short of their goals.

Bringing in a veteran with a proven track record like Alonso is a tremendous move given their circumstances. The 31-year-old is also going to make a huge impact at the plate, but that goes without saying.

In 2025, he hit 38 home runs and recorded an .871 OPS. Alonso has the kind of power that can completely anchor a lineup. He can protect the strong hitters in front of him as well, which should lead to better pitches to hit for guys such as Gunnar Henderson. As a result, Alonso’s presence in the lineup may lead to improved performance for his teammates.

There isn’t much downside when it comes to the Alonso signing.

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Alonso has been extremely consistent throughout his season. He’s also been durable, playing in at least 152 games in each of his big league seasons (with the exception of 2020, which was a 60-game season). In 2024 and 2025, Alonso led the league with 162 games played in each year.

If Alonso can continue to stay healthy, he could realistically play every single game in 2026 with his new team. That alone will help the O’s.

His power will give opposing pitchers something else to consider. They will need to be extremely careful, as the team already featured a deep lineup. Alonso only makes the O’s offense more dangerous.

2026 could be a huge season for Pete Alonso and the Orioles.