Report: Orioles finalizing 5-year, $155M deal with Alonso

The Baltimore Orioles have reeled in their superstar.

The Orioles are finalizing a five-year, $155-million contract with first baseman Pete Alonso, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal marks the highest average annual value ever for a first baseman, Passan adds.

Alonso's pact has no opt-outs and contains no deferrals, a source told MassLive's Chris Cotillo. He'll also receive limited no-trade protection, a source told Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner.

Alonso heads to Baltimore after seven seasons as the face of the New York Mets. The star slugger returned to Flushing last winter on a short-term deal following contentious negotiations but opted out of his contract immediately after the 2025 season. Alonso leaves as the Mets' all-time home-run leader.

New York was reportedly hesitant to give Alonso a deal longer than three years. Ultimately, the Mets never made him an offer once his price tag soared, a source told Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Alonso's departure continues a rough 24 hours for the Mets, with closer Edwin Díaz reportedly joining the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

Alonso, who turned 31 last week, will serve as the linchpin of a dynamic Baltimore lineup. His 38 homers in 2025 would have led the Orioles by a wide margin, as no one on the team had more than 17.

His presence at first base also gives Baltimore some flexibility, allowing the team to rotate Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo between catcher and designated hitter. Coby Mayo, previously projected as the Orioles' everyday first baseman, could move into more of a utility role or become a trade piece. Longtime O's slugger Ryan Mountcastle is another candidate to be moved following Alonso's arrival.

Orioles' projected 2026 lineup

Alonso has been one of the most prolific home-run hitters in baseball since debuting in 2019. Over the last seven seasons, only Kyle Schwarber and Aaron Judge have hit more round-trippers than Alonso's 264. He's hit at least 34 homers in each of his six 162-game seasons and reached 100 RBIs four times.

In 2025, Alonso played in all 162 games for the Mets and won his first career Silver Slugger after hitting .272/.347/.524 with 38 homers, 126 RBIs, and an NL-best 41 doubles.

The Orioles made the playoffs in 2023 and '24 but fell back to last place in the AL East in 2025, prompting the club to push hard to sign a star free agent this winter. The team reportedly met with Kyle Tucker recently and emerged as a finalist for Schwarber, apparently offering him the same five-year, $150-million deal that he received from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Alonso's deal may not be the end of Baltimore's spending. The O's are still in the market for starting pitching and have held contract talks with free-agent southpaw Framber Valdez, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports. They're also interested in another top free-agent left-hander, Ranger Suárez, a source told Kostka.

The Boston Red Sox were also connected to Alonso over the last few weeks.