The Orioles struggled towards left-handed pitchers in 2025. Alonso brings a profession 125 wRC+ towards southpaws. Alonso additionally gives sturdiness, having performed in all 162 video games over the past two years.
In 2025, Alonso posted a career-best .832 OPS towards lefties, which was truly larger than his .795 mark towards right-handed pitchers.
Final season, Alonso additionally recorded a hard-hit fee of 54.4%, which ranked within the 96th percentile, in accordance with Baseball Savant. He additionally ranked excessive in a number of different batting offensive metrics, akin to bat pace (75.3 mph) and common exit velocity (97.3 mph).
The crew recognized a necessity to enhance towards left-handed pitching after 2024, the place its right-handed batters hit simply .243/.302/.383 towards lefties.
Whereas his total offensive efficiency has seen some fluctuations, he has maintained a excessive energy output, making him a deadly bat towards southpaws.
Following his transfer to the Orioles, his ability set with hitting successfully towards lefties is predicted to be a key asset for the Orioles’ absence of right-handed bats within the lineup.
The addition of Taylor Ward
Alonso may even be a part of offensive hitters Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Jackson Holliday. Alonso is understood for his sturdiness and two-strike method; he gives a menace on the plate that would alter the way in which pitchers will face the Orioles lineup. The Orioles additionally added Taylor Ward, who is understood for his excessive slugging share towards left-handed hitters.
The event and rebuilding of the crew additionally factors to how the addition of Ward and Alonso enhances the offense. The duo of Ward and Alonso gives the Orioles with extra right-handed energy that provides simpler offense. Alonso might be an important addition to the Orioles as he can intention to assist them navigate high-pressure conditions.
Optimized ballpark and AL East race
Camden Yards is now extremely favorable for right-handed energy hitters. This implies Alonso can blast extra house runs this season. Alonso’s five-year, $155 million deal alerts that the Orioles need to have a profitable crew.
However it will not be simple towards a Blue Jays crew that made it to the World Sequence in 2025 and an AL East crew that’s actually all the time aggressive within the New York Yankees. Aaron Choose hit two house runs in his spring coaching debut.
The Orioles even have Tyler O’Neill as one other energy bat within the lineup. Whereas he did not carry out as much as par final season by way of his house run complete on account of his 2025 damage stint, he’s anticipated to return to type. He hit 9 homers with a .684 OPS in 54 video games final season after hitting 31 house runs with an .847 OPS in 113 video games in 2024.
Total, with Alonso, all the brand new additions and their younger gamers’ improvement, it is going to make for an attention-grabbing 2026 race within the AL East.
