Pete Alonso Gets Candid About Baltimore Orioles Debut

The Polar Bear has come home.

Thursday at Camden Yards wasn't just any home opener for the Baltimore Orioles: it was the debut of their brand-new slugger, Pete Alonso. Despite thriving in the bright lights of New York over the past seven seasons, Alonso chose Baltimore in free agency during the winter and brought instant pedigree and playoff expectations to the club.

Baltimore's Opening Day game was the culmination of the hype surrounding the 31-year-old. It didn't contain an early signature moment, as Alonso went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. But that didn't matter.

When Alonso stepped into the batter's box for his first plate appearance, he received a thundering ovation from the fans. It was a collective display of gratitude for choosing the Charm City as his new home, presumably for the rest of his career. Alonso responded in kind by tipping his helmet to the estactic crowd.

Pete Alonso is officially an Oriole.

He stepped to the plate in the first inning of @orioles opening day to a standing ovation. He tipped his helmet to acknowledge the fans.

Opening day coverage is brought to you by @FFFCUofMD. pic.twitter.com/KyPEphsRvY
— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) March 26, 2026

Pete Alonso Shares Emotions During Orioles Debut

Despite Alonso having a quiet game at the dish, the Orioles were more importantly able to overcome some rusty bats and beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on the strength of their pitching. Nonetheless, the big story was still the hype surrounding the slugger's arrival.

Even after the game, Alonso stayed on the field in full uniform with his wife Haley and his newborn son, soaking everything in. Upon meeting with the media, he continued to praise the fans for embracing him as part of their beloved team and the city as a whole.

“It felt like a movie today. It was such a treat to be a part of,” Alonso said about the atmosphere surrounding the game. “For [the fans] to embrace me, zero at-bats in, is just really special. It's a dream come true. To have that feeling, it's such a blessing, and I'm happy we got the win for them today.”

Pete Alonso on his standing ovation from Orioles fans at Camden Yards:

"For them to embrace me, zero at-bats in, is just really special. It's a dream come true. To have that feeling, it's such a blessing, and I'm happy we got the win for them today." https://t.co/91r3H0tgok
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) March 26, 2026

Alonso went on to call Baltimore's victory a "gritty" and "blue-collar" win. The Orioles had only one hit entering the bottom of the seventh inning and only five by the end of the day, while ace Trevor Rogers didn't quite have his best stuff, issuing four free passes and needing help from his defense to escape some jams. But once they grabbed the lead, they wouldn't let it go.

Both Rogers and manager Craig Albernaz, the latter entering his first major league game as a skipper, were also taken aback by the sheer energy from the fans in Camden Yards. Rogers stated that it was "probably the best crowd I've ever been a part of."

"We felt them all game. The whole place was electric today," Albernaz said.

Trevor Rogers said the crowd at Camden Yards on Thursday for opening day was "probably the best I've ever been a part of."
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) March 26, 2026

What to Expect From Alonso This Year

Even as he gets acclimated to the recently pitcher-friendly Camden Yards, Alonso's power applies to all fields and should result in home runs all over the park. There's a reason why he consistently reached the 30-homer mark every year (outside of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, which still had him at a 30-homer pace in a full year).

Alonso's presence in the lineup should also be highly beneficial to the players around him. For example, Adley Rutschman received better pitches to hit and recorded a single and double with the Polar Bear in front of him. Considering Rutschman is coming off the worst season of his career (although this was primarily injury-related), having a hitter like Alonso protect him is a huge luxury that will help him get back on track.

The results weren't immediate, as the Orioles could only scratch out two runs and needed their pitching to do the rest. But once Alonso gets into a groove, Baltimore's lineup is as deadly as anyone's.

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