Orioles stun the league by stealing elite power bat after failed Kyle Schwarber offer

The Baltimore Orioles made a big splash before executives left the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando this week. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Orioles have agreed to a five-year, $155 million deal with first baseman Pete Alonso. The O's lineup is officially loaded, folks.

Alonso was arguably the best bat available after Kyle Schwarber re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. Oddly enough, the O's deal with Alonso surpasses the five-year, $150 million deal Schwarber signed with the Phillies. Baltimore was said to be in the mix for Schwarber and offered a similar contract to Philadelphia.

This gives Baltimore a big thumper in the middle of the lineup. Last season, Alonso slugged his way to 38 home runs while posting a .272/.347/.524 slash line in Queens. Alonso was the anchor for the New York Mets lineup for the past seven seasons, and he'll be asked to the same for Baltimore in 2026 and beyond. This is a major acquisition on the part of Mike Elias and the Orioles front office, and a huge blow to the Mets' hopes moving forward.

Former Mets slugger Pete Alonso signs five-year, $155 million deal with the Orioles

If the offseason ended today, the Orioles would the unquestioned winners, and they still haven't addressed their biggest need — the starting rotation. But Elias and Co. have now secure a middle-of-the-order bat (Alonso), a backend reliever (Ryan Helsley, and skilled outfield bat (Taylor Ward).

If the O's can somehow pry Edward Cabrera away from the Miami Marlins, or acquire another frontline starter, fans will begin to love their team's chances in 2026.

After hearing of the Orioles' interest in Schwarber, it shouldn't come as a total surprise to hear that they signed Alonso. The Mets reportedly balked at the idea of offering Alonso more than a three-year deal, and the Orioles took advantage of New York's hesitancy.

There were some who thought Elias and the Orioles ownership group were going to be somewhat quiet this offseason, but the team's spending spree so far this winter has proven that they're ready to compete for championships in 2026.