Pete Alonso is making sure his Players Weekend gear looks like it belongs in Maryland.
The Orioles first baseman showed off a custom bat with a design built around the Eastern Shore, and Alonso explained that the look was meant to reflect his new surroundings. He said the bat leans into Maryland’s identity, with Blue Crabs front and center and nautical touches that nod to the Eastern Shore.
“Yeah, so my bat for this, for the Players Weekend, it's Eastern Shore-themed. The most important thing in Maryland is Maryland Blue Crabs, that's featured on the bat.
And then we have nautical, nautical themed from the Eastern Shore,” Alonso said. “Got some lighthouses right, we got a lighthouse right here.
🐻❄️🤝🦀#Birdland | #PlayersWeekend pic.twitter.com/QiWXDDnqgI
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 22, 2026
So basically, it's a taste of Maryland, taste of Baltimore, because you can't think of Baltimore without Blue Crabs.”
Players Weekend is built for that kind of expression, giving players a chance to show off their personalities, backgrounds, and interests through custom equipment. For Alonso, the bat is also a way to lean into the local scene and connect with Orioles fans.
The timing lines up with a productive stretch for Alonso on the field. He recently launched his 30th home run of the season in Baltimore’s 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, a result that snapped the Orioles’ four-game losing streak. In that same game, he pushed his hitting streak to 13 games.
With the production continuing and the Maryland-themed bat in hand, Alonso’s Players Weekend look carries plenty of local flavor. The crab imagery gives it the strongest punch, but the overall design says plenty about where he is and how he’s fitting into Baltimore.
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Samuel Basallos pinch-hit homer in the eighth flipped the energy in the ballpark and set up the kind of finishing kick this club has been waiting for. Dylan Beavers then delivered the ending Baltimore wanted in the 10th, capping a night that showed why the Orioles keep leaning on their younger bats when the game gets tight. [Read more 🡒]
