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By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Pete Alonso era in Queens is over.
As of Wednesday, Alonso is the king of Baltimore.
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The Orioles have swept Alonso out from the New York Mets' feet, according to multiple reports, signing the free agent first baseman to a five-year, $155 million contract.
Jeff Passan of ESPN was first to report the news.
The blockbuster deal caps a dramatic week at the Winter Meetings that saw the two premier sluggers on the market — Alonso and Kyle Schwarber — opt to sign elsewhere after being courted by the Mets in free agency.
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Schwarber, who led the National League in home runs last season, re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on a $150 million contract. The Orioles reportedly offered Schwarber $150 million too, and were obviously not content to leave the Winter Meetings in Orlando empty-handed.
Instead they will pin their fortunes to Alonso, a five-time All-Star who hit 38 home runs, 126 RBIs, and a National League-leading 41 doubles in 2025.
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According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Alonso's contract does not give him the right to opt out, or include any salary deferrals. Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that the Mets had interest in re-signing Alonso but for less money.
However, Sherman reported the Mets did not make a formal offer to Alonso. The Orioles acted with more urgency coming off a disappointing 75-87 season that saw them fall out of contention early, then trade several veterans ahead of the July deadline.
While Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias has been explicit in stating his desire to add starting pitching, his biggest offseason acquisitions have involved hitters.
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In November, the Orioles traded pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels for outfielder Taylor Ward. A right-handed hitter, Ward slugged a career-high 36 home runs in 2025.
Alonso has averaged 39 home runs and 111 home runs per season from 2021-25, collecting National League MVP votes in three of the last four seasons. He won his first Silver Slugger Award in 2025.
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The Mets are also losing free agent closer Edwin Diaz, a three-time All-Star and — like Alonso — a fan favorite. Diaz reportedly agreed to a deferred-money, three-year contract with the Dodgers this week that is not yet official.
The Mets are coming off a disappointing season themselves. They were 21 games over .500 in June, but ultimately missed the playoffs. The collapse prompted owner Steve Cohen to issue a rare apology to fans.
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Without Alonso and Diaz, the Mets will have a very different look in 2026. Alonso, meanwhile, gets the highest average annual salary ever for a first baseman — a big bet for Baltimore, but one Elias apparently felt he had to make.
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