Pete Alonso's time with the Baltimore Orioles has not gone according to plan.
Pete Alonso arrived in Baltimore with enormous expectations after signing a five-year, $155 million contract that runs through the 2030 season. The Baltimore Orioles viewed him as the perfect middle-of-the-order impact they needed to return to the MLB playoffs after a disappointing 2025 season.
But through the first two weeks of his debut year in Baltimore, Alonso has not looked like the hitter he was during his seven seasons with the New York Mets.
That frustration finally surfaced on Friday night. After going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in a loss to the San Francisco Giants, Alonso spoke to reporters after the game about his struggles.
“I mean, for me, it’s frustrating. I’m sure it is for everybody else. I wish I could have been better, not just tonight, but many nights before. There’s a lot of work going into behind the scenes so at gametime I can show up and perform. I could say, ‘Yeah, it’s a long season, it’s coming.’ But yeah, it stinks, first couple weeks, not performing up to my standards," Alonso said (h/t Jake Rill of MLB.com).
He continued, "You can work hard, you can try, but that’s not why I’m here. I’m here to win. And I expect more out of myself, and I know other people do as well. So it’s frustrating. But yeah, the best is obviously going to come. It’s frustrating, for sure. Wish I could perform better. But yeah, working hard, doing the best I can, but that’s not good enough. And I will be better.”
Alonso’s honesty reflects how difficult the start has been. Through his first 13 games, he is hitting .176 with a .263 on base percentage, .538 OPS, one home run and three RBIs. Those numbers are far from what Baltimore expected and far from the standard Alonso set in New York, where he was National League Rookie of the Year, a five-time All-Star and a Silver Slugger Award winner.
He is also the biggest free agent addition the Orioles have made in more than a decade, a signing meant to signal that the franchise is ready to contend again. Baltimore enters Saturday at 6-7, still within striking distance of turning its season around, and Alonso remains central to that effort.
There is plenty of time for him to rebound, and his willingness to take accountability is at least a positive sign for a team counting on him to lead the offense as the season settles in.