Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso expects improvement in 2027.
The Baltimore Orioles entered 2026 with hopes of making a deep October run. Instead, they likely will watch the postseason from home. Even so, superstar first baseman Pete Alonso is already promising the disappointment will not repeat in 2027.
Alonso did not hide from a frustrating year and addressed the team’s shortcomings while speaking with reporters.
“This year, obviously, we’re not where we want to be. But I want to win in the worst way. I think, regardless of the results this year, I feel like hopefully that we take some time to reflect,” Alonso said, via MLB.com’s Jake Rill. He added, “And we’ll be better next year. I’ll be sure of that.”
The words carried weight because of who delivered them. This week, Alonso was unanimously named the team’s Most Valuable Oriole in his first year with the club. The selection was well-deserved.
Alonso has hit .264 with a .359 on-base percentage and an .871 OPS. He has been one of the best power hitters in the entire league. He currently has 41 home runs, tied for the American League lead, along with a league-best 110 RBIs.
That RBI total is the most by an Oriole since Chris Davis drove in 117 in 2015. The first baseman also started every game this year, appearing in 159 total despite dealing with some minor injury concerns. That durability gave a shaky lineup one dependable player from Opening Day until late September.
He saved some of his best for last, too. Since Aug. 9, Alonso has launched 18 home runs across 41 games. His 41st came off Toronto Blue Jays veteran Max Scherzer earlier this week. It was his first career homer against his former New York Mets teammate.
Baltimore’s problems this year have nothing to do with Alonso, but instead the team around him. A dreadful April buried the club early, and the offense struggled for long stretches after that. The team never climbed all the way back into the race. At 78-81 and on the brink of elimination, the Orioles will finish near the bottom of a loaded division.
Alonso is signed through 2030 on a five-year, $155 million deal he inked last December, so he will have a chance to help again for the foreseeable future.
The 31-year-old will most likely not be playing in the postseason. Still, he has already made his expectations for next season clear, and the offseason ahead will be built around getting him back to the playoffs.
