Pete Alonso took to being the face of the 2026 Baltimore Orioles quite quickly and has been about what could be expected at the plate and better than expected in the field and clearly a dominant outward voice in a long-wobbly clubhouse. He’s been very good, but nowhere close to an MVP candidate as he was at his very best with the Mets. After a very rough indoctrination to Camden Yards – left field twice butchered by Elias – Alonso has settled in since July and his home/road splits are negligible. Here’s what Alonso has done against fastballs since the Covid-shortened season. It’s conceivable that this is the best season they get out of Alonso and the front office had best be mitigating against that worst-case scenario, though we know by now that’s not how Elias operates.