Pete Alonso has been everything the Baltimore Orioles could have hoped for since signing him to a five-year, $155 million deal in the offseason.
Alonso hit his 39th and 40th home runs in Monday night's win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Some teams were reportedly hesitant to pay Alonso in free agency because they were unsure if he could maintain his power numbers as he got older. Well, in Year 1 of his new deal, he has shown no signs of slowing down. He is also hitting .265 this season.
His 40th home run for the Orioles carries some historical significance. Alonso hit 53 home runs in his rookie year on the New York Mets in the National League. His 40th home run in his first year as part of an American League team makes him the only player in MLB history to hit at least 40 home runs in his first season in each league, according to OptaSTATS.
Since 2019, when Alonso made his debut, only Kyle Schwarber has hit more home runs than him. Schwarber is two years older than Alonso and may be a good example of how Alonso will age. Schwarber strikes out a ton and does not have a good batting average. However, he hits home runs at a very high clip and is currently tied for the most home runs in baseball.
Alonso and the Orioles may not make the postseason, but Alonso proved he deserved to be paid handsomely and should be a key player for the Orioles in the near future as they look to get back to playing baseball in October.
