Pete Alonso Shares Thanks to Mets During Orioles Introductory Press Conference

The Baltimore Orioles officially ushered in the Pete Alonso era on Friday with his introductory press conference at Camden Yards, thus simultaneously bringing his time with the New York Mets to an end.

Alonso, who signed a five-year deal worth $155 million with Baltimore during this week’s Winter Meetings, stated that the Orioles checked all the boxes in terms of what he was looking for in free agency while standing out amongst his other suitors.

“As the offseason progressed and we got further along, this partnership was head and shoulders above everybody else,” Alonso said. “This park, this city, this organization, everything just clicked.”

Orioles owner David Rubenstein is particularly bullish about what Alonso brings to the table and the heights he could help the organization reach, comparing his addition to that of Frank Robinson ahead of the 1966 season, which ended in the club’s first-ever World Series victory.

“The result was we won a World Series that year, and we beat a team named the Los Angeles Dodgers, who people thought were unbeatable,” Rubenstein said.

Alonso received a glowing endorsement of Baltimore from his former Mets manager Buck Showalter, who held that same post with the Orioles from 2010 to 2018.

“He had nothing but beautiful things to say,” Alonso said.

The five-time All-Star first baseman shared his appreciation for his time in New York as well, though he also expressed his gratitude and excitement for his upcoming tenure in Baltimore.

“I’m very gracious for that opportunity,” Alonso said. “There’s some amazing people over there. Whether it be the locker room, the staff, cubbies, it’s phenomenal. I really enjoyed my time [there], but this right here, this organization, this city, I’m so proud to call it home.”

The Mets never extended a formal offer to Alonso this offseason after he turned down a player option worth $24 million for the 2026 campaign. The bidding got to a spot that New York wasn’t interested in reaching, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, leading a franchise staple and its all-time home run leader to walk after seven seasons.

Alonso closed out his stint as a Met with a slash line of .253/.341/.516 to go alongside 264 homers and 712 RBIs in 1,008 games.

New York, which also saw Edwin Díaz leave in favor of a three-year deal worth $69 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers, now has a fair amount of holes to fill over the coming months as it looks to construct a competitive roster for the 2026 season.

The Mets could look to replace Alonso internally by playing Mark Vientos, prospect Ryan Clifford or even Jeff McNeil at first base. They may also explore their external options on the free agent and trade markets, with the likes of Cody Bellinger (who would fit in the club’s outfield as well) and Willson Contreras sticking out as the top potential options at the moment.

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