
Pete Alonso is heading to the AL East … just not to the team everyone expected.
Alonso reportedly inked a five-year, $155 million pact with the Baltimore Orioles — not the Boston Red Sox — on Dec. 10, 2025, amid the MLB free agency frenzy that is the Winter Meetings. The move flips the script on Baltimore's offense as the 31-year-old slugger, fresh from a .272 season with 38 bombs and 126 RBI for the Mets, lands in Camden Yards, a homer-friendly park that could juice his power to 40+ dingers.
The story has been a popular one among veteran fantasy players, as "Pete Alonso Orioles fantasy" searches have spiked 300% overnight on X, with 150+ posts debating ADP bumps. This isn't just any signing. Baltimore's lineup has received a massive, needed upgrade, necessitating draft adjustments across fantasy leagues for not just the first-base slugger, but pitchers throughout the AL East.
We'll dissect the stats, park shifts, and league-wide ripples so you can adjust your board before March.
Going from Citi Field to Camden Yards will be a boost for Alonso. While Camden is less friendly to righties than Citi, it’s better all around thanks to its closer center field wall and the Orioles re-correcting the left field wall by bringing it in 28 feet ahead of the 2025 season. That’s music to Alonso’s ears, as he possesses one of the best, most diverse spray charts among sluggers.
And while one might assume the Orioles to be a lineup downgrade from the front of the Mets’ 2025 batting order, a closer look shows they have the youth and upside to potentially be as good if not better.
With this all factored in, plus the fact he’ll face better pitching but more favorable parks in the AL East vs. the NL West, here’s what we expect of Alonso in 2026 for fantasy and where we feel he should be valued in drafts.
So, Alonso should see at least an equal level of production if not an increase with his new team. But what about those around him for fantasy?
Before you continue, if you’re curious to learn about the ripple effects of another stunning Mets free agency departure or want to learn more about some of the other top players in free agency, give these other articles a look.
Now, how will this affect players in both the highly-competitive AL East and MLB on the whole? How should you treat them in your 2026 drafts or on waivers?
The Orioles’ splash for Pete Alonso cements him as a 2026 fantasy cornerstone. Blending his power reliability with lineup leverage equal to if not better than the Mets and a stronger home Park Factor will offset any age decline and tougher divisional pitching matchups for fantasy gold this upcoming season. Monitor Spring Training for role/lineup clarity to play it safe as with all free agents changing teams, but lock him in early to ride the wave if everything holds. Adjust your mocks today.
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