Pete Also shared his thoughts on new Orioles pitcher Shane Baz.
The Baltimore Orioles acquired starting pitcher Shane Baz in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this offseason. Pete Alonso, who also joined Baltimore via free agency in the offseason, is a fan of the signing. The slugger recently gave Baz his flowers, via Matt Weyrich.
Alonso said he texted Orioles' president of baseball operations Mike Elias and manager Craig Albernaz about the pitcher, saying that he is "nasty" on the mound. In baseball, a pitcher being called "nasty" or "gross" is a strong compliment, of course.
What Shane Baz Brings to Orioles#
Baz, 26, was a highly regarded prospect with the Rays. He made his debut in 2021. However, he only made nine total starts between 2021 and 2022, and missed all of 2023 due to injury.
In 2024, the right-handed hurler turned in a 3.06 ERA across 14 outings. It seemed as if Baz was on the verge of breaking out. 2025 did not go according to plan, however. Baz was able to set a new career-high with 31 starts, but he pitched to a lackluster 4.87 ERA across 166.1 innings of work.
Baz displayed his strikeout prowess on the mound, though. The pitcher had 176 strikeouts. Walks were an issue at times, as he surrendered base-on-balls at a 9.0 percent rate. As long as he gets his command of the zone under control, Baz should be able to bounce back.
Meanwhile, Alonso is set to lead an offense that could be among the best in baseball. With players such as Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday and Adley Rutschman also in the lineup, the Orioles are going to score runs. The question is whether or not they will pitch at a high enough level to make a competitive run.
The Baz acquisition helps, but the O's would benefit from bringing in at least one more starter. Baltimore has been connected to Framber Valdez throughout free agency. He is still available, so the Orioles could end up signing him. Zac Gallen is also still available in free agency.
Regardless, Baltimore has indeed already upgraded its roster following a difficult '25 campaign. The Orioles know exactly what they have in Pete Alonso given his home run consistency over the years. Baz's pitching production is more uncertain, but the ceiling remains high despite the inconsistency at times.
If a slugger like Alonso calls you "nasty" though, then that means you have something working for you.