The Baltimore Orioles made a huge splash Wednesday by signing free agent first baseman Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract. It’s the second largest contract in Orioles history (and just the second at more than $90 million), behind only the seven-year, $161 million disaster of a deal for Chris Davis. The splash is huge. The ripples are many. Here are the biggest ripple effects from the deal:
- The Mets never wanted Alonso on a long-term deal. That was obvious last year with the long wait until their awkward reunion, and it was obvious this year. This wasn’t the same as losing Edwin Diaz because he wanted a more attractive option (the Dodgers). This time the Mets lost a cornerstone player essentially of their own choosing. Once Kyle Schwarber re-signed with the Phillies for five years and $150 million, you had to know Scott Boras was going to play leapfrog with Alonso, who plays defense and is two years younger. The Mets were never getting him on a short-term deal. Simply put, Alonso, the Mets’ homegrown, all-time franchise leader in home runs, was worth more to the Orioles than his organization of the past nine years.
