There was nothing good about Pete Alonso taking a 95 MPH fastball off the front of his helmet on August 30, but the timing made it even uglier for the Orioles’ slugger.
Alonso was in the middle of a rough stretch when Kade Morris drilled him during Baltimore’s matchup with the Athletics. He had gone just 2-for-19 over his previous five games, which isn’t a full-blown slump by any stretch, but it stood out because of how locked in he had been earlier in August.
His bat had carried him through the month, pushing his season average up by more than 20 points, and his 1.050 OPS in August was his best mark of any month. That even included his near-home run against the New York Yankees.
Since the calendar flipped to September, though, he has hit .217 with a .714 OPS, and the Orioles have gone 2-6.
The good news is that Alonso seemed to escape the hit without major injury. He got to his feet on his own and tried to remain in the game, but Baltimore did not take any chances. Jackson Holliday entered as a pinch runner right away.
According to Matt Weyrich of the Baltimore Sun, Alonso passed the health check immediately after the incident. Manager Craig Albernaz delivered an encouraging update afterward.
“Jackie was already ready to run, and Pete was fine, came out fine. He was typical Pete in the dugout, so he'll be fine,” Albernaz said.
The scare also served as another reminder of how much Alonso means to this team beyond the box score. Through 145 games with the Orioles, he is batting .266 with an .853 OPS.
His 33 home runs lead the club and rank fourth in the American League, and his 4.0 fWAR tops the Orioles roster. He’s not in the AL MVP race, but he has clearly given Baltimore the kind of production that keeps a team in the Wild Card conversation.
Nearly a year into his five-year, $155 million deal, Alonso has already looked like a difference-maker worth the investment. The Mets let him walk after the 2025 season, and that decision has come back to sting them while Baltimore has reaped the rewards.
Just as important, the Orioles seem to have embraced him as more than a star bat. He’s become a clubhouse leader in a short time, and the roster appears to have responded to that presence. If Tyler O’Neill’s recent quote was a hint that the 2026 Orioles have some “It” factor, Alonso’s ability to absorb a scary shot and keep moving helps underline it.
In Other News...
Orioles Face A Gunnar Henderson Decision They Cant Ignore
The Orioles keep building around a core that still feels young, but Gunnar Henderson has become the kind of player every front office has to think about differently once the trade market starts circling. Baltimore controls him through 2029, which ordinarily would make this a nonstarter, yet his recent struggles at the plate and in the field have only sharpened the question of how the club sees his long-term place if the postseason picture keeps wobbling.
For a team trying to balance present urgency with future value, the timing matters as much as the talent. Henderson is still the sort of name that would draw attention from contenders, with the Mets mentioned as a possible fit, but the Orioles also have to weigh whether his current value is as strong as it might have been earlier. And if there is real doubt about a contract beyond his team-control window, this may be the moment when Baltimore has to decide whether to hold firm or at least listen. [Read more 🡒]
Coby Mayo Just Created A Tough Orioles Lineup Decision
Coby Mayo spent the first part of 2026 looking like a young hitter still finding his footing, but the second half told a different story. The 24-year-old Orioles third baseman settled in and started driving the ball with much more authority, especially against left-handed pitching, where he led MLB in home runs, slugging percentage and OPS. He also made progress against right-handers, which only adds to the sense that his late-season run was no fluke.
For Baltimore, the timing matters because Mayos surge points toward a larger role in 2027, and not just as a bat waiting for a matchup. The Orioles already have infield depth to sort through, so even a clear step forward from Mayo does not make the path simple. If his second-half production carries over, the club may have to make a real lineup adjustment to find him the kind of playing time his bat now seems to deserve. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Injury Picture Just Got More Interesting With Ryan Helsley
Ryan Helsley took another meaningful step in his recovery Tuesday, throwing 24 pitches in his first live batting practice since June 27. The right-hander, who has been on the 60-day injured list with an elbow issue, had his work closely watched by the Orioles as they continue to sort through a pitching staff that has had to manage injuries and uncertainty all season.
Craig Albernaz said Helsley threw every pitch in the session with velocity in the mid-90s and upper 90s and looked great, a encouraging sign for a team that could use another late-inning arm if the rehab keeps moving forward. The Orioles also released their lineup for the game against the Guardians, while Luis Robert Jr. will stay with the club instead of reporting to Sarasota as initially expected, adding another small but notable layer to a roster picture that is still evolving. [Read more 🡒]