Orioles’ Slim Playoff Hopes Rest on Renowned Strong Finisher Pete Alonso

Can the slugger carry the Orioles to October?

Aug 16, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Pete Alonso (25) runs home to score a run during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Your 2026 Baltimore Orioles are, essentially, a roller-coaster ride. They lost four of the five games they played from August 6-10, then went 4-1 from August 11-16. After that, they suffered four consecutive defeats, and then they won three of their last four, including Tuesday’s 13-1 thrashing of the St. Louis Cardinals. Despite the wild inconsistency, they are 64-68 and very much alive in the race for the third and last Wild Card spot.

Their chances of making the postseason aren’t particularly good, since they sit 2.5 games behind the third Wild Card spot, but here they are, in the race after trading their franchise catcher and a few other pieces. To have a real chance at an unlikely postseason berth, however, they need Pete Alonso to keep the foot on the gas.

The Polar Bear is perhaps the only consistent star in Baltimore’s lineup, and he shows it every night. On Tuesday, he went 4-for-4 and hit his 24th double and 31st home run of the year, taking his OPS to .876 and his wRC+ to a brilliant 146. His 89 RBI are sixth in the majors before Wednesday’s games, and second in the American League behind Yordan Alvarez’s 91.

Basically, the Orioles need Alonso to maintain his current form. They need him to wear the Superman cape through late September if they want to have a chance to mask their shortcomings.

Alonso Has A Long History Of Greatness When It Matters

Fortunately for Baltimore, Alonso is known as a clutch guy and a strong finisher. The guy has a 1.173 OPS and a 230 wRC+ this month, and is carrying the Orioles on his shoulders.

Last year, after a rough July, he had a 153 wRC+ in August and a 151 mark in the last month of the season. If we go further back, in the New York Mets’ magical 2024 campaign, Alonso was much better in the second half (128 wRC+) than before the break (115 wRC+), and became a beast in postseason play with a 174 wRC+, four homers, and 10 RBI in 13 games.

Ask around the league and go through some of his finest moments, and Alonso is the definition of a big-game player. He loves the clutch, and he tends to save his best baseball for the second half, especially August and September. That has been the case in recent seasons, at least.

Baltimore’s roster is definitely and clearly flawed, but as long as they have Alonso healthy and in-form, they have a chance. Chances are that they will be left out of the party, but the right-handed slugger will certainly keep him in the race at the very least.

Imagine how far this team could go if some of the guys around him were able to find a bit of consistency.