ORLANDO, FL — The Baltimore Orioles wasted no time pivoting from their pursuit of slugger Kyle Schwarber and signed first baseman Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract.
Alonso becomes the latest fan-favorite to leave the New York Mets after the team traded outfielder Brandon Nimmo and All-Star closer Edwin Diaz left for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Alonso, who originally was seeking a seven-year contract and badly wanted to return to the Mets, departed when it was clear New York didn’t want to offer more than three years. And once teams started making offers for more than that, the Mets never budged or submitted a formal offer.
Alonso is one of the premier power hitters in the game with 264 homers since coming up with the Mets, including 38 home runs and 126 RBIs last season. He also has played at least 160 games in each of the past three seasons.
Alonso’s $31.6 million average salary is now the highest for a first baseman in baseball history.
The Orioles met with Alonso in person on Tuesday, and once Schwarber’s five-year, $150 million deal became official with the Phillies, agent Scott Boras used his deal to inform the Orioles to establish the baseline of Alonso’s deal.
“Right-handed power is a commodity,’ agent Scott Boras said Tuesday of Alonso. “Guy who can play on the dirt is a commodity. All the teams we met with, not one doesn’t want Pete to play first base, I think because of his digs and what he does, there’s a lot said about his defense. But we’re learning it’s very positive, because they don’t have many first basemen who can play every day in the field and carry the offensive thrust of it.”
It was the latest blow for the Mets who are now being re-made in president David Stearns’ style, showing there’s no room for sentimentality.
“I’m very optimistic about where our offseason is headed,’ Stearns said Tuesday. “We’ve certainly got work to do, but there are a lot of good players out there, and I’m confident that we’re really going to like where our team is once we get to opening day.”
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