Pete Alonso is the perfect player to lead Baltimore back to the playoffs

Pete Alonso has been everything the Baltimore Orioles have hoped for and more. The veteran first baseman hasn't missed a step in his first season in the orange and white, being one of baseball's best hitters this season. Not only has Alonso been the engine of Baltimore's lineup this season, but he has shown time and time again that he is a leader in the clubhouse.

Following the second game of Wednesday night's doubleheader against the Blue Jays, the Orioles' final home game of the season, Alonso led the team out of the dugout to tip their caps and give thanks to the Orioles fans in attendance (read is quotes here). That is something you see from a player who has been the leader in the clubhouse for years, a staple in the franchise, not someone who is in their first year with the club.

Those are the kinds of actions that go beyond the box score, but make the team and fanbase feel extremely good about a player. Alonso signed a (slightly controversial) five-year, $155 million contract with the O's last offseason. At the time, reactions were mixed, with some loving that Baltimore actually went and signed a big free agent, but others believing it was an overpay.

One thing that wasn't factored into the reactions about the contract: Pete Alonso's leadership

What Alonso has done both on and off the field this season has proved everybody wrong. He has shown he's worth every single penny and that he is exactly the type of player Baltimore needs to get them to the playoffs in the future (or this season by a miracle).

The O's have a very young and exciting core. They have drafted and developed well, and that has led to the emergence of many young players at the same time. It's very rare for a team full of just young players to make any noise in the playoffs, and that's the reality the Orioles faced. While they made the playoffs two years in a row, they were unable to even win a game.

Teams like that need to be supplemented with veteran talents who have been there before. Having an older veteran who has seen some level of playoff success can be very beneficial in the clubhouse, and that's what Alonso has and will continue to bring.

Alonso made the playoffs multiple times in his years with the Mets, being a key player in their run to the 2024 NLCS. He knows how to keep his heart rate calm in the big moments during a playoff push and in October, and those are skills he can now help the younger players on the squad learn.

Baltimore likely misses the playoffs this season, but Alonso is already showing his impact. Having him in the clubhouse for the next four seasons is exactly what this organization needed to get back to the playoffs.

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