Pete Alonso has done exactly what the Orioles asked when they brought him in before this season: bring real thunder to the middle of the lineup.
That power showed up in a big spot Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. With Baltimore tied and a runner on first in the ninth inning, Alonso stepped in with two outs, got a low fastball in a 2-2 count, and launched it over the left-field wall. The blast put the Orioles ahead and also pushed him into a familiar lane - six straight seasons with at least 30 home runs.
For a Baltimore team that has spent most of 2026 fighting uphill, Alonso has been one of the few constants. The Orioles entered Friday at 61-67, sitting last in the American League East, but still only two games back of the final Wild Card spot in the American League. That keeps the door cracked open, even if the season has not gone the way the club hoped.
Alonso’s production has been a major reason Baltimore can even talk about October. The 31-year-old came into Friday’s game with 30 home runs and 84 RBIs, while hitting .269/.360/.498 with an .858 OPS. Those are the numbers of a hitter carrying his weight and then some.
Baltimore’s core looked different when the season began, with Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson leading the way. That group has changed some, but Alonso has held up his end of the deal. If he keeps swinging like this, the Orioles still have a path to make things interesting down the stretch.
In Other News...
Gunnar Henderson Has Become A Worrying Sign For The Orioles
Gunnar Henderson has been one of the faces of the Orioles young core, so any hint of regression lands with extra weight in Baltimore. MLB Network analyst Dan ODowd recently raised alarms about Hendersons direction, pointing to a decline in both his hitting and defense since the 2025 All-Star break and framing it as more than a temporary slump. For a team built around internal development, concerns like that naturally spill beyond one player and into the broader question of how the Orioles are shaping their talent.
ODowd went a step further by suggesting the organization, under Mike Elias, may not be getting the most out of Hendersons ability. He even floated the idea that the shortstop could be traded by 2027, while also recommending changes to the developmental setup, including bringing in Bill Ripken as an infield coordinator and perhaps involving Buck Showalter in some role. Whether Baltimore takes any of that seriously is another matter, but the conversation underscores how important Henderson remains to the franchises future and how quickly expectations can shift when a cornerstone player starts to look off track. [Read more 🡒]
Gunnar Henderson Might Finally Have The Fix Orioles Fans Needed
Gunnar Hendersons recent slide had become one of the quieter concerns around Camden Yards, especially for a lineup that leans on him to help set the tone. So the sight of Pete Alonso spending time with Henderson in practice, working through batting mechanics and zeroing in on lower-half posture and hip stability, offered a different kind of development for Orioles fans to track. It is the sort of behind-the-scenes tweak that can matter as much as any box score, particularly when a young hitter is trying to regain the timing that made him one of the clubs most important bats.
What makes the collaboration notable is the source of the advice, with Alonso drawing on his own experience to help Henderson sort out the issues that have made fastballs such a stubborn problem this season. Henderson has shown signs of improvement lately after the prolonged slump, but the work points to a more specific fix than a simple hot streak. For Baltimore, the appeal is obvious: if the changes hold, the Orioles might finally be getting closer to the version of Henderson they have been waiting for. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Prospect Suddenly Has A Real Shot To Fill Key Bullpen Need
Luis De Len has become one of the more interesting arms in the Orioles system this summer, and not just because of his prospect status. Baltimore is moving him into a relief role at Triple-A Norfolk, a shift that gives the organization a chance to see whether his stuff can translate quickly to a bullpen setting and possibly help fill a need later in the season.
De Len already made his first relief appearance recently, and he has impressed in both Double-A and Triple-A this year, which is why the transition is worth watching closely. Manager Craig Albernaz has been upbeat about De Lens talent and what he could bring to the club, and if the adjustment keeps going well, the Orioles may have found a candidate for the bullpen without having to look far outside the system. [Read more 🡒]