Pete Alonso Crushes First Swing Back in the Bronx, and the Orioles Are Watching Closely

Pete Alonso is back in New York, and he made his return unforgettable. The Orioles' first baseman took an opposite-field solo shot to the second deck in right field during the second inning Friday, his first plate appearance in the city since signing a five-year, $155 million deal with Baltimore in December. It was classic Polar Bear, the kind of swing that defined his seven seasons with the Mets. Just one problem: the O's lost 7-2 to the Yankees.

But that homer? That mattered. Not just because it felt good, but because Alonso is heating up at exactly the right moment. That blast was his fifth home run of the season and his second in four games. He's hitting .203 with a .704 OPS through 32 games, numbers that don't scream superstar. Yet manager Craig Albernaz sees something coming. "He's shown flashes of Pete Alonso that we all know and love," Albernaz said. "I foresee him here soon really starting to take off."

Coming Home Hits Different

Walking around Manhattan and playing in the Bronx felt like old times for Alonso, even if it wasn't quite the same neighborhood. "Waking up, walking around, I know I don't live here anymore. But also, being here for so long, it's just back in the old neighborhood," he said Friday. "It's nice, obviously, and being around familiar stuff, it's cool and I'm excited. Excited to play today."

Alonso spent his first seven MLB seasons with the Mets, becoming their all-time home run leader before opting out of the final year and $24 million on his contract after the 2025 campaign. When free agency opened up, the Orioles made their move, and Alonso felt the fit was right. "Both the Orioles as an organization and myself, I feel like we align and fit perfectly," he said. "When you have something good, you focus on it."

The shift from crosstown rival to division opponent still feels surreal. "It's awesome to come in wearing new colors," Alonso said. "It's like, 'All right, instead of a crosstown rival, now we're a divisional rival.' It feels good."

The Road Ahead for Baltimore

The Orioles are 15-17, and they need Alonso to turn it on. Alonso isn't looking back at his former team, which is MLB-worst at 10-21 entering Friday. He knows what's possible though. In 2024, the Mets were 24-35 on June 2 yet finished 89-73 and reached the National League Championship Series. "Baseball is a long season. It's a marathon," Alonso said. "It's bad, but there's five months left in the season. There's always time."

If Alonso keeps swinging like he did Friday, Baltimore might just find their own comeback story in the months ahead.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.