As the anticipation builds for the announcement of the All-Star teams on July 4, Pete Alonso finds himself in a new position, waiting to see if he'll be named an American League reserve after five selections with the Mets in the National League. Alonso's All-Star journey began in 2019, with subsequent nods in '22, '23, '24, and '25. The 2020 game was a no-go, courtesy of the pandemic, but Alonso's track record speaks volumes.
Alonso's prowess isn't limited to All-Star selections. He's a two-time Home Run Derby champ, taking the crown in 2019 and 2021.
His rookie-year victory over Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at Progressive Field in Cleveland was the stuff of legends. He followed that up with a win at Coors Field in Denver, outslugging Trey Mancini, who made a heartwarming comeback from Stage 3 colon cancer.
Alonso joined the elite ranks of Ken Griffey Jr. and Yoenis Céspedes as back-to-back Derby champions.
Despite his success, Alonso took a pass on last year's Derby. "I want to fully be able to enjoy the festivities," he explained, citing the adrenaline rush as more taxing than the swings themselves.
As for this year's event on July 13 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Alonso's still on the fence. "I’ve got to see how my body feels," he said, knocking on wood to ward off any bad luck.
His focus remains on winning games and helping his team make a postseason push.
The Orioles, meanwhile, are riding the wave of a much-needed 3-1 victory over the Nationals, improving their record to 39-44. It's a crucial win after a tough 10-inning loss in Anaheim.
Coby Mayo, who notched his first career multi-double game, emphasized the importance of starting strong after a day off. "You want to hit the ground running," he said, highlighting the team's determination to bounce back.
Standings can be a tricky thing for players. While some keep a close eye, others, like Alonso, prefer not to dwell on them.
"Things can change," he noted, recalling a nail-biting end to the 2024 season where playoff hopes hung in the balance until the very last games. The key, he says, is to focus on playing clean baseball and not get distracted by the Wild Card chase.
Jeremiah Jackson echoed this sentiment, stressing the importance of taking each day as it comes. "The stuff that we can control is how we go about every day," he said, focusing on preparation and execution rather than standings.
The Orioles' recent West Coast trip was a rollercoaster, capped by a heartbreaker at Dodger Stadium. But the team is keeping a positive outlook. "We have a short memory," Jackson said, emphasizing the importance of resilience and readiness for the next challenge.
Confidence is still high in the Orioles' camp. "I think we are really getting close to kind of doing something special," Jackson said, praising the team's talent and potential.
Alonso, too, remains optimistic. "We know we have potential, we know we have talent," he asserted, underscoring the team's desire to make a playoff run.
It's a long season, but with the right mindset and execution, the Orioles are poised to make some noise. The journey to October is a marathon, not a sprint, and this team seems ready to rise to the occasion.
In Other News...
Blue Angels Turned Camden Yards Into A Baltimore Moment Fans Wont Forget
Camden Yards had an extra soundtrack Saturday, and the Orioles made sure everyone in the ballpark knew it was coming. Before the game against the Nationals, the club alerted the umpires and Washington about the noise from the U.S. Navys Blue Angels flyover tied to the Sail250 event, then passed the warning along to fans on the video board as the planes prepared to cross over the stadium.
The reminder proved necessary in the middle of one plate appearance, when home plate umpire Jansen Visconti had to call time several times as the roar overhead interrupted the action. Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser also had a little fun with the moment, saying he wished he could have sent one out while the planes were flying by, even if he came up just short of making the scene even more Baltimore. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles May Finally Have To Cash In Top Prospects
With the trade deadline looming, the Orioles are once again facing one of the harder choices that comes with building a contender: whether to move from their prospect strength to patch holes on the major league roster. Baltimore has spent years stockpiling young talent, but not every promising bat can fit at once, especially with congestion at catcher and first base making the next step tricky for some of the systems more intriguing names.
The pull to keep the pipeline intact is obvious, yet the pressure to win now is real, and that is where the front office has to decide how much future value it is willing to spend. Some of the organizations better young hitters have seen their stock rise at the right time, which only sharpens the question of whether the Orioles should keep waiting on development or turn that depth into help for the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Cant Ignore These Two Season-Defining Problems Any Longer
The Orioles have reached the point in the season where two problems keep showing up in different forms, and neither one can be brushed aside much longer. Gunnar Hendersons spot near the top of the lineup has become part of the conversation because the offense needs more than name value from a player in that role, while the rotation continues to look stretched as Baltimore tries to keep games from getting away early.
Kyle Bradishs latest start only deepened the concern on the pitching side, with another erratic outing that ended quickly after he issued five walks in four innings. There is growing reason to think the club may need to get creative with how it manages the staff, including the possibility of a six-man rotation if help arrives in time, but for now the Orioles are still stuck trying to solve issues that are hard to ignore and even harder to mask. [Read more 🡒]