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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/mlb-stories/mlb-rumors-michael-king-deciding-between-yankees-red-sox-orioles');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Michael King deciding between Yankees, Red Sox, and Orioles');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Padres-starting-pitcher-Michael-King-34-delivers-a-pitch.jpg"><figcaption>© Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Michael King deciding between Yankees, Red Sox, and Orioles</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-15T03:28:03-08:00">December 15th, 3:28am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-15T03:28:03-08:00">December 15th, 3:28am</time><address><a>Abdullah Imran</a>Abdullah Imran works as an Associate Editor for All Sports at ClutchPoints. He’s been a sports fan his entire life and enjoys writing about every sport. He has spent three years in sports journalism and loves analyzing games. In his free time, he very much enjoys binge-watching shows and playing video games.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Free-agent right-hander Michael King has narrowed <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/12/red-sox-yankees-orioles-finalists-for-michael-king.html" rel="noopener">his search for a new team</a> to three American League East clubs: the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Baltimore Orioles, according to a report from Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe. The 30-year-old Rhode Island native and Boston College alum is reportedly hoping to decide on his next destination soon.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-rumors-new-york-pursue-michael-king-free-agency">King, who spent the first five seasons of his MLB career with the Yankees</a>, developed into a top-tier starting option during his two-year run with the San Diego Padres. In 2024, his first full season as a starter, he posted a 2.95 ERA in 173⅔ innings with a 3.33 FIP and a 27.7% strikeout rate, earning seventh place in NL Cy Young Award voting. Over his two seasons in San Diego, he went 18-12 with a 3.10 ERA in 46 appearances (45 starts), compiling 277 strikeouts, 89 walks, and one shutout.</p><p>The 2025 season, however, was overshadowed by injuries. King was limited to 15 starts due to a nerve issue in his shoulder and a minor knee injury late in the year. Before the shoulder issue, he performed exceptionally in ten appearances with a 2.59 ERA, 3.26 FIP, and 28.4% strikeout rate. Upon returning, he experienced a slump over five appearances, putting up a 6.11 ERA, 14.5% strikeout rate, and 10.8% walk rate. Having faced his fair share of challenges, King still shone in the postseason, moving to the bullpen for the Padres’ Wild Card series against the Chicago Cubs and striking out the side in a scoreless inning.</p><p>In November, King rejected San Diego’s qualifying offer, opening the door for a multi-year free-agent deal while ensuring the Padres will receive a compensatory draft pick from any team that signs him.</p><p>Of the three teams pursuing him, the Orioles have the clearest need for starting pitching. Baltimore floundered in the past season after their offseason decisions on Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Zach Eflin did not pan out, leaving Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers as the most promising rotation pieces. King would instantly become the staff ace and upgrade a rotation that ranked among the league’s worst, all while likely fitting under a reasonable contract. MLBTR has projected King to sign a four-year, $80 million deal, ranking him as the #14 free agent this offseason. Not only that, he has been excellent against the Orioles, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.67 ERA in 14 career appearances, including two starts.</p><p>The Red Sox offer a different profile. King would return to New England, where he has personal ties, but Boston’s rotation is already deep. Garrett Crochet, Sonny Gray, Brayan Bello, and Patrick Sandoval figure to anchor the staff, with additional depth from Johan Oviedo, Kyle Harrison, and others. King would likely slot in as a No. 2 starter behind Crochet, providing stability while allowing the Red Sox to leverage their pitching depth in potential trades for offense.</p><p>For the Yankees, King is a familiar arm who can also provide rotation support. With Max Fried healthy and Gerrit Cole expected back from Tommy John surgery in 2026, New York’s rotation could still benefit from added depth, particularly with Clarke Schmidt set to miss most of the season and Allan Winans lacking MLB experience. King would add insurance and potentially shift existing starters like Cam Schlittler and Luis Gil into secondary roles.</p><p>As long as he remains healthy, King will be a high-impact signing and a valuable addition to any AL East rotation.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Michael King deciding between Yankees, Red Sox, and Orioles

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-jorge-polanco-pete-alonso-reality');   ga('set', 'title', 'Insider reveals Mets slugger Jorge Polanco’s Pete Alonso reality after landing with New York');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/b3ffb1f2-d84b-11f0-9f21-0242ac120003.avif"><figcaption>Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Insider reveals Mets slugger Jorge Polanco’s Pete Alonso reality after landing with New York</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-13T10:33:27-08:00">December 13th, 10:33am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-13T10:33:27-08:00">December 13th, 10:33am</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Mets entered the 2025 MLB offseason searching for answers and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-jorge-polanco-40-million-contract">found one in second baseman Jorge Polanco</a>. The veteran infielder agreed to a two-year, $40 million contract, a move that ushers in the first major step of David Stearns’ 2026 plan. The signing came just days after the team lost slugger Pete Alonso to the Baltimore Orioles on a five-year, $155 million deal, signaling a clear organizational shift.</p><p>The departure of Alonso was both a financial and emotional blow for New York. Alonso left Queens as the franchise’s all-time home run leader and one of the most recognizable faces in the clubhouse. Polanco, by contrast, represents a versatile switch-hitting bat on a shorter commitment, aligning with Stearns’ preference for roster flexibility. Last season with the Seattle Mariners, Polanco hit .265 with 26 home runs, 78 RBIs, and a .821 OPS, helping propel the club to within three outs of its first World Series appearance.</p><p>USA Today’s Bob Nightengale took to his X (formerly known as Twitter), <a href="https://x.com/BNightengale/status/1999886273830592839?s=20" rel="noopener">to point out</a> how the storyline surrounding the veteran second baseman will unfold and why comparisons to Alonso will be unavoidable throughout the 2026 season.</p><p>“It will be an ongoing narrative all season comparing Jorge Polanco’s stats to Pete Alonso after Mets president David Stearns unveils the first step of his 2026 plan with the signing of Jorge Polanco to a 2-year, $40 million deal.”</p><p>The quote from Nightengale underscores the reality facing the Mets as the season approaches. Every Polanco homer, RBI, and defensive play will be weighed against Alonso’s production in Baltimore as fans track box scores nightly.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-david-stearns-free-agency-plan">For Stearns, the decision</a> reflects a broader vision tied to roster balance and long-term payroll control. The Mets have shifted away from long, high-dollar commitments in favor of shorter deals that preserve future flexibility.</p><p>As December carries on and the new calendar year approaches, the pressure will be immediate. Polanco does not need to replicate Alonso’s home run totals, but his performance will serve as the first real measuring stick for the Mets’ new direction.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Insider reveals Mets slugger Jorge Polanco’s Pete Alonso reality after landing with New York

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-executive-drops-lineup-truth-bomb');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles executive drops truth bomb on Baltimore’s lineup');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Orioles-news-Pete-Alonso-drops-truth-bomb-on-Baltimores-lineup.jpg"><figcaption>Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Orioles executive drops truth bomb on Baltimore’s lineup</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-13T08:01:03-08:00">December 13th, 8:01am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-13T08:01:03-08:00">December 13th, 8:01am</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Baltimore Orioles are no longer tempering expectations as the franchise pushes deeper into contention. Entering the heart of the 2025 MLB offseason, sweeping changes to the Orioles lineup—highlighted by recent comments from former GM and currently president of baseball operations Mike Elias and the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-scott-boras-baltimore-pete-alonso">blockbuster Pete Alonso signing</a>—have reshaped how the organization and the rest of the league view Baltimore’s offensive ceiling.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-biggest-disappointment-after-missing-mlb-playoffs">Baltimore finished the 2025 season</a> at the bottom of the AL East, but the front office responded with urgency. The Orioles committed five years and $155 million to Alonso, the largest free-agent deal in franchise history, signaling a full shift from rebuild to contention. The move followed the earlier addition of Taylor Ward, giving the Orioles a more balanced mix of right-handed power and run production.</p><p>Those changes set the stage for a bold declaration from the Orioles’ president. At Alonso’s introductory press conference, he addressed how dramatically the lineup has changed and why expectations must rise with it. The comments immediately sparked debate across the league and on social media.</p><p>The Baltimore Banner took to its official X (formerly known as Twitter), <a href="https://x.com/AllBannerSports/status/1999823116613107844?s=20" rel="noopener">sharing</a> a direct quote from Elias while noting the Banner’s own Jon Meoli for capturing the quotes during the press conference.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jon Meoli: Pete Alonso gives the Orioles ‘arguably the best batting lineup’ in baseball, Mike Elias said. He might be right. <a href="https://t.co/Ywa50t2vHh">https://t.co/Ywa50t2vHh</a></p><p>— Baltimore Banner Sports (@AllBannerSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/AllBannerSports/status/1999823116613107844?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The statement carries weight given the role Elias played in constructing the roster. Alonso arrives after a dominant 2025 season in which he hit .272 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs. The presence of “The Polar Bear” provides protection for young hitters such as Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday, both left-handed bats, helping them avoid unfavorable matchups while also creating flexibility for future trades involving Ryan Mountcastle.</p><p>The Orioles lineup now reflects an aggressive philosophy by the O’s front office. With Ward adding balance, Alonso anchoring the new-look Baltimore offense, and a bullpen reinforced by the acquisition of Ryan Hesley, the club has positioned itself as a legitimate 2026 contender rather than a team hoping to surprise.</p><p>If Elias’ confidence proves accurate, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-stories/mlb-winter-meetings-biggest-winners-not-dodgers-orioles">the Orioles will enter next season</a> carrying expectations they have not faced in years, but finally with the roster strength to meet them.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles executive drops truth bomb on Baltimore’s lineup

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/mlb-stories/mlb-winter-meetings-biggest-winners-not-dodgers-orioles');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB Winter Meetings’ biggest winner, and it’s not the Dodgers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MLB-Winter-Meetings.jpg"><figcaption>Mike Watters-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>MLB Winter Meetings’ biggest winner, and it’s not the Dodgers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-13T06:38:50-08:00">December 13th, 6:38am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-13T06:38:50-08:00">December 13th, 6:38am</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Baltimore Orioles stole the spotlight from the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings, and that contrast says everything about how far the franchise has come. Los Angeles still had a strong showing, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/los-angeles-dodgers/why-dodgers-edwin-diaz-69-million-signing-could-backfire-after-tanner-scott-disaster">signing elite closer Edwin Diaz</a> to address its most obvious weakness and reinforce a roster chasing a third consecutive World Series title. But while the Dodgers focused on polishing perfection, the Orioles rebuilt their identity from the ground up. After landing in last place in the AL East to close the 2025 season, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-pete-alonso-155-million-contract-agreement">Baltimore left Orlando as the offseason’s true winner.</a></p><p>The Orioles didn’t just tweak their roster. They transformed it. After two straight postseason appearances in 2023 and 2024, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-biggest-disappointment-after-missing-mlb-playoffs">Baltimore suffered a steep and jarring collapse</a> in 2025. A team that won the AL East with 101 victories in 2023 and followed with a 91-win Wild Card season in 2024 fell to a 75-87 record last year, finishing last in the AL East and missing the postseason entirely. The drop left the Orioles a staggering 19 games behind the division-winning Toronto Blue Jays and triggered an aggressive response from owner David Rubenstein and the front office.</p><p>The shift began with the Pete Alonso signing, a five-year, 155 million dollar deal with no opt-outs or deferrals, the largest free-agent commitment in franchise history. Alonso hit .272 with 38 home runs and 41 doubles last season for the New York Mets, giving Baltimore a lineup-shaping power presence it has lacked for years. The message was unmistakable. The rebuild is over.</p><p>Next came the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-land-angels-taylor-ward-grayson-rodriguez-trade">Taylor Ward trade</a>, which sent injured pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels. Ward is a veteran right-handed power bat who just posted a career-high 36 home runs in 2025, and his arrival immediately reshapes how opponents attack the Orioles lineup. With Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman hitting primarily from the left side, Ward gives the Orioles a right-handed presence that disrupts late-inning matchup strategies and limits bullpen advantages. Even with Camden Yards’ deeper left field, Baltimore now has balance and thump, the type of offense built to withstand playoff-level pitching.</p><p>Then came the finishing piece, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-ryan-helsley-28-million-contract-free-agency">Ryan Helsley contract</a>. The right-hander joined on a two-year, 28 million dollar deal after finishing the 2025 season with the New York Mets. With Felix Bautista recovering from elbow surgery and not expected back until late 2026, Helsley gives the Orioles a proven ninth-inning option and allows Brandon Hyde to structure late innings with clarity rather than urgency. It is a quieter move that stabilizes the entire roster.</p><p>In comparison, the Dodgers’ MLB Winter Meetings story was about enhancement, not transformation. Yes, Diaz fills the late-inning gap that lingered through back-to-back championship runs. But Los Angeles was fixing an already dominant machine. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-gm-truth-bomb-playoff-hopes-slow-start">The Orioles, by contrast</a>, shifted from broken to dangerous in a matter of days. Context makes their week historic.</p><p>Still, the story is not without risk. Trading Rodriguez left the rotation thin, and the AL East remains ruthless. Baltimore’s path to October will depend on finding another starter — perhaps by dealing Ryan Mountcastle or Coby Mayo, who now face crowded roles. But this front office has clearly changed its tone. The Orioles are done waiting.</p><p>The Dodgers won the week for efficiency. The Orioles won it for courage. And after the 2025 collapse, that’s exactly what Baltimore needed most.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB Winter Meetings’ biggest winner, and it’s not the Dodgers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-scott-boras-baltimore-pete-alonso');   ga('set', 'title', 'Scott Boras reveals Orioles pitch to Pete Alonso');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Pete-Alonso-will-bring-power-to-the-Orioles-lineup.jpg"><figcaption> Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Scott Boras reveals Orioles pitch to Pete Alonso</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-12T17:07:18-08:00">December 12th, 5:07pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-12T17:07:37-08:00">December 12th, 5:07pm</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Undoubtedly, the aftereffects of the Baltimore Orioles <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-pete-alonso-155-million-contract-agreement" rel="noopener">signing Pete Alonso to a $155 million deal</a> are still being felt. Moreover, there is insight into what led to the historic signing, courtesy of Alonso’s agent Scott Boras.</p><p>On Friday, Boras <a href="https://x.com/SNYtv/status/1999594565074890843?s=20" rel="noopener">shared with reporters</a> about the conversation he had with Alonso about what the Orioles were offering him, per SNY TV.</p><p>“I get to tell Pete about the want, how they want this man to play for them. How important it is. What they do, how they do it. You can hear the tone. You understand what it means to acquire someone like this.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Scott Boras talks about how much the Orioles wanted to sign Pete Alonso in free agency:</p><p>"I get to tell Pete about the want, how they want this man to play for them. How important it is. What they do, how they do it. You can hear the tone. You understand what it means to acquire… <a href="https://t.co/2v1q0MPWQr">pic.twitter.com/2v1q0MPWQr</a></p><p>— SNY (@SNYtv) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1999594565074890843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Ultimately, Alonso <a href="https://x.com/SNYtv/status/1999594565074890843?s=20" rel="noopener">concluded his career with the New York Mets</a> from 2019-2025. During that stretch, he became known as the “Polar Bear” due to his ability to be a power-hitting first baseman. Along the way, Alonso captured an inordinate amount of hardware. In 2019, he was named the NL Rookie of the Year and has won multiple Home Run derbies. </p><p>Additionally, Alonso was named to five All-Star teams (2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025). Also, this year won the 2025 NL Silver Slugger Award.</p><p>Fortunately, he has one of the most transformational sports agents at his side. </p><h2><b>Scott Boras knows how to get deals done</b>.</h2><p>Certainly, it goes without saying that Boras has left his mark on the baseball world. Over the years, some of his biggest clients included Alex Rodriguez and Juan Soto. Overall, Boras was able to negotiate deals for his clients that would benefit them in the long run. </p><p>In 2004, Boras negotiated a trade between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees for A-Rod. This was one year after A-Rod signed the historic $252 million contract with the Rangers.</p><p>In 2024, Boras was the mastermind behind Soto signing the largest contract in sports history. Ultimately, Soto <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/grading-juan-soto-mets-historic-765-million-contract" rel="noopener">signed a $765 million deal with the Mets</a>. </p><p>Altogether, Boras’ approach has been referred to as the “Boras Effect”. </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Scott Boras reveals Orioles pitch to Pete Alonso

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-mike-elias-payroll-fact-will-fire-up-fans');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mike Elias drops payroll fact that will fire up Orioles fans');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Mike-Elias.jpg"><figcaption>Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Mike Elias drops payroll fact that will fire up Orioles fans</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-12T16:41:10-08:00">December 12th, 4:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-12T16:53:48-08:00">December 12th, 4:53pm</time><address><a>Mike Gianakos</a>Mike Gianakos is a veteran editor and writer for print and digital media. He also created and oversaw video and event production departments for legacy media brands. Mike is a longtime podcaster and even longer suffering NY Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Baltimore Orioles have been one of baseball’s busiest teams this offseason. After failing to reach the playoffs in a dismal 2025 campaign, Baltimore appears <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-fans-react-pete-alonso-official-announcement-fan-reaction">committed to bolstering the roster</a> for a bounce-back in 2026.</p><p>Following a flurry of moves, the Orioles’ made a splash by <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-pete-alonso-155-million-contract-agreement">signing Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million deal</a>. The Polar Bear finally landed the long-term contract he’d been seeking from the Mets. And Baltimore made the five-time All-Star MLB’s highest-paid first baseman by average annual value ($31 million AVV).</p><p>Interestingly, the Orioles <a href="https://x.com/afkostka/status/1999595116298752065" rel="noopener">aren’t done spending</a> after inking Alonso. The team’s ownership group, led by David Rubenstein, hasn’t set a payroll limit, giving Mike Elias the green light to continue pursuing free agents, per The Baltimore Banner’s Andy Kostka.</p><p>“If there are other great players we can get, we’ll try to get them,” Rubenstein noted.</p><h2><b>Orioles look to add starting pitching after landing Pete Alonso</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Pete-Alonso_d016c1.jpg"><figcaption>Jim Rassol-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Elias, the Orioles’ president of baseball operations, hinted that there’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-mike-elias-hints-whats-next-signing-pete-alonso">more to come after signing Alonso</a>. It’s exciting news for fans after Baltimore’s strong start to the offseason.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-land-angels-taylor-ward-grayson-rodriguez-trade">Orioles landed Taylor Ward</a> in a trade with the Angels last month. While the move cost the team talented but often injured starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, Ward instantly improves Baltimore’s outfield.</p><p>Elias also addressed the team’s bullpen, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-ryan-helsley-signing-may-have-changed-everything">signing Ryan Helsley</a> to a two-year, $28 million deal. The veteran closer will fill the void left by Felix Bautista, who’s out for the season following shoulder surgery. The Orioles also got Andrew Kittredge back from the Chicago Cubs after trading him at the deadline.</p><p>Of course, the Alonso signing is Baltimore’s biggest move so far. The former Mets slugger spent the first seven years of his career in Queens. Now the Polar Bear heads to Charm City to help Baltimore compete in a stacked AL East.</p><p>While the team could add another bat to the lineup, Elias appears to be focused on starting pitching. It’s even more of an area of need following Rodriguez’s departure. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-stories/mlb-rumors-framber-valdez-free-agency-rumors">Orioles are reportedly in the mix for Framber Valdez</a>. However, Ranger Suarez is another possibility.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mike Elias drops payroll fact that will fire up Orioles fans

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-pete-alonso-reveals-origin-of-polar-bear-nickname-to-orioles-fans');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pete Alonso reveals origin of Polar Bear nickname to Orioles fans');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Pete-Alonso-has-a-love-for-his-Polar-Bear-nickname.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pete Alonso reveals origin of Polar Bear nickname to Orioles fans</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-12T14:56:26-08:00">December 12th, 2:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-12T15:56:47-08:00">December 12th, 3:56pm</time><address><a>Steve Silverman</a>Steve Silverman has been covering the NFL for more than 35 years, and his writing has appeared in ESPN Magazine, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, Pro Football Weekly, and Forbes.com. He has written 10 books, including "Who's Better, Who's Best in the NFL." He has won multiple awards from the Pro Football Writers of America.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Pete Alonso was introduced to the Baltimore Orioles’ media and fans Friday. In addition to wearing his Orioles No. 25 jersey and hat, he was able to provide some background on his “Polar Bear” nickname.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“They’re the only known species to actively hunt humans.” -Pete Alonso when asked how he got the Polar Bear nickname <a href="https://t.co/8G55zvDSUl">pic.twitter.com/8G55zvDSUl</a></p><p>— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) <a href="https://twitter.com/TalkinBaseball_/status/1999595970338635825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-pete-alonso-heartwarming-reason-selecting-jersey-number-25">The newest Oriole</a> figures to become the team’s primary power hitter and 1st baseman. He explained that his nickname was given to him by his former teammate Todd Frazier, who lockered next to him when he came up to the New York Mets in the 2019 season.</p><p>Frazier was the talkative type who rarely held back with his personality or speech. He took a look at Alonso and said “you look just like a big, old Polar Bear.” That turned out to be fine with Alonso, and he embraced that nickname.</p><p>The big 1st baseman <a href="https://twitter.com/TalkinBaseball_/status/1999595970338635825?s=20">added further explanation</a>, saying Polar Bears are “only species that are known to hunt human beings.” Alonso did not say it, but he clearly hunts home runs and other big hits.</p><h2><b>Alonso hopes to have a big home run season for the Orioles</b></h2><p>Alonso had become the Mets’ all-time home run leader last season. He belted 38 home runs last season and hit 264 long balls while wearing Mets colors. Alonso belted 53 home runs in his rookie season of 2019 and won Rookie of the Year honors.</p><p>The 2020 season was cut short by Covid, but in the five years that followed, he never hit fewer than 34 home runs. Alonso has been a 5-time All-Star in his career and has exceeded the 100 RBI mark four times. He led the National League with 131 RBI in the 2022 season.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/next-move-orioles-must-make-after-agreeing-to-contract-with-pete-alonso">The Orioles</a> were the unexpected winners when it came to signing Alonso. It was expected the Boston Red Sox would make a solid bid for his services, but the Orioles’ 5-year, $155 million offer was the one that the former Met selected. The Mets were expected to make a contract offer, but the two sides did not take in a meeting.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pete Alonso reveals origin of Polar Bear nickname to Orioles fans

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-pete-alonso-heartwarming-reason-selecting-jersey-number-25');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles star Pete Alonso’s heartwarming reason for selecting jersey number 25');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Pete-Alonso-1-1.jpg"><figcaption>Sam Navarro-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Orioles star Pete Alonso’s heartwarming reason for selecting jersey number 25</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-12T13:51:22-08:00">December 12th, 1:51pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-12T13:51:22-08:00">December 12th, 1:51pm</time><address><a>Dan Fappiano</a>Dan Fappiano is a Connecticut-based sports journalist with over five years of professional experience. After graduating from Central Connecticut State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism, he has covered every sport from fencing to football in the online and print medium. Dan hopes to see his beloved Bears win a Super Bowl someday.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Baltimore Orioles made one of the biggest splashes of free agency<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/orioles-news-pete-alonso-breaks-silence-first-post-since-leaving-mets"> when they signed first baseman Pete Alonso</a> to a five-year, $155 million contract. Now, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-fans-react-pete-alonso-official-announcement-fan-reaction">Alonso is getting settled into his new home</a>.</p><p>When the slugger dons his Orioles jersey for the first time, he will be wearing the No. 25. It’s in honor of his son Sonny, who was born in 2025. Alonso <a href="https://x.com/Orioles/status/1999574186419769697" rel="noopener">wanted to show his family some respect</a> as he goes through his Baltimore journey, via the team’s X, formerly Twitter account.</p><p>“2025 is a special year for me and my family,” Alonso said. “We welcomed our son into the world. I chose 25 because of him.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The meaning behind the number ☺️ <a href="https://t.co/E1VvmTKx1j">pic.twitter.com/E1VvmTKx1j</a></p><p>— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) <a href="https://twitter.com/Orioles/status/1999574186419769697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>No matter what number Alonso is wearing, the Orioles are expecting him to rake. Over his seven years with the New York Mets, the first baseman hit .253 with 264 home runs and 712 RBIs. Alonso is a five-time All-Star, currently on a streak of four straight nominations. Furthermore, he is a former Rookie of the Year and two-time Home Run Derby champion.</p><p>During the 2025 season, Alonso hit .272 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs. He also led National League in doubles with 41. If Alonso had been on the Orioles, he would’ve led the team in home runs by 21 and RBIs by 58.</p><p>And that’s precisely while Baltimore targeted him in free agency. The Orioles have plenty of young talent in their core. But they needed a true big bat to tie everything together. Between Alonso and all of the O’s prospects, the franchise should have one of the scarier lineups for the foreseeable future.</p><p>Opposing pitchers will at least be a bit cautious when No. 25 steps to the plate.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles star Pete Alonso’s heartwarming reason for selecting jersey number 25

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-pete-alonso-wife-moving-farewell-new-york-message');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pete Alonso’s wife shares moving farewell Mets message');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Pete-Alonso-1.jpg"><figcaption>Jim Rassol-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pete Alonso’s wife shares moving farewell Mets message</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-11T21:45:08-08:00">December 11th, 9:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-11T21:45:08-08:00">December 11th, 9:45pm</time><address><a>Paolo Mariano</a>Paolo Mariano is a freelance writer, editor, and producer based in Manila, Philippines. He is a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas and the father of a young girl whose personality swings from Simone Biles to Dillon Brooks. A beacon of objectivity, he believes Penny Hardaway is the true NBA GOAT.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It is a new chapter for Pete Alonso and his family after the star slugger <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/next-move-orioles-must-make-after-agreeing-to-contract-with-pete-alonso">agreed to join the Baltimore Orioles</a> on a five-year contract worth $155 million.</p><p>Alonso is bidding goodbye to the New York Mets, where he spent his last seven seasons, becoming one of the league’s biggest stars.</p><p>Alonso’s wife, Haley Alonso, couldn’t help but reminisce as she <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSI_20qjUQt/?e=5c8a623d-142e-42cc-a3ea-b53ef99e19da&amp;g=5" rel="noopener">penned a farewell message</a> for New York. She included a picture of the five-time All-Star from his debut game with the Mets in 2019.</p><p>“This picture. It encapsulates all that Pete is as a ballplayer. Those who’ve watched him over the years know that it’s undeniable that his love for the game absolutely radiates off him,” wrote Haley on Instagram.</p><p>“I hope his legacy with New York is how deeply he cared and how much of himself he poured into this game, this team, and this city.”</p><p>She expressed her gratitude to the Big Apple for embracing their family and serving as their home.</p><p>“We fell in love with New York City and lived in Manhattan for six years. We fell in love with the fans and their passion. Sometimes glowing, sometimes spirited 😉, but always heartfelt. We loved this team,” added Haley.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="instagram-media"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSI_20qjUQt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div><div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div><div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"><div></div><div></div><div></div></div></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 24px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div><p></p></a></div></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>The 31-year-old Alonso, who won the Silver Slugger Award this season, exits the Mets as the team’s all-time leader in home runs with 264. He also tallied 951 hits and 712 RBIs.</p><p>In his own farewell message, the beloved baseman said he appreciated the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/orioles-news-pete-alonso-breaks-silence-first-post-since-leaving-mets">“tough love” he received in New York</a>.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pete Alonso’s wife shares moving farewell Mets message

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-mike-elias-hints-whats-next-signing-pete-alonso');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles’ Mike Elias hints at what’s next after signing Pete Alonso');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Orioles-exec-Mike-Elias.jpg"><figcaption>Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Orioles’ Mike Elias hints at what’s next after signing Pete Alonso</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-11T20:24:59-08:00">December 11th, 8:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-11T20:25:26-08:00">December 11th, 8:25pm</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Baltimore Orioles owner David Rubenstein initially represented the false hope that had eroded fans for decades. Following a passive winter and dispiriting 2025 campaign, the billionaire Birds boss is doing his part to move the franchise forward. The O’s made a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/mlb-rumors-orioles-phillies-ramp-up-kyle-schwarber-offer-150-million">strong push for Kyle Schwarber</a> before <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-fans-react-pete-alonso-official-announcement-fan-reaction">agreeing to a five-year, $155 million contract</a> with one of this era’s best sluggers, Pete Alonso. Apparently, though, they are not content with making just one big splash this Hot Stove season.</p><p>Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias, who was struggling to keep his head above water amid a flood of bad optics, is now rolling with momentum following a lively few weeks that also saw Baltimore add two-time All-Star closer Ryan Helsley and power-hitting outfielder Taylor Ward. What does the 2023 Executive of the Year have planned next? He <a href="https://x.com/masnRoch/status/1999274664808579370" rel="noopener">shared his thoughts</a> following the huge Alonso move.</p><p>“Mike Elias said there are still ways to ‘spruce up the position player side,'” Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com posted on X. “More role players. But talking ‘more pointedly’ on the pitching side. That’s multiple starters.”</p><p>Inserting a big bat alongside prodigiously talented shortstop Gunnar Henderson is obviously exciting, but this squad can only inflict so much damage with its current starting pitching rotation.</p><h2><b>Orioles could use another game-changing arm</b></h2><p>Baltimore ranked 26th in ERA (4.60) and 27th in both WHIP (1.37) and batting average allowed (.259) last season, underscoring the need for at least one more difference-making hurler. A consistently healthy Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish would certainly help, but Elias cannot ignore either pitcher’s injury history. He has to protect the Orioles from more misfortune.</p><p>If Rubenstein is willing to keep his checkbook open, the team could <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-rumors-baltimore-linked-top-pitchers-pete-alonso">pursue a reliable left-hander like Framber Valdez</a> or Ranger Suarez. Perhaps a more affordable veteran like righty Merrill Kelly could also give the staff the boost it requires. The important thing is that the Birds are still hovering above the free-agent market, determined to scoop up more impactful players.</p><p>When fans heard O’s brass express interest in the past, they were understandably skeptical. Times may be changing, though. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-pete-alonso-contract-grades-155-million-deal">The Pete Alonso signing</a> has forced everyone to reconsider how they perceive Baltimore during the winter months. Mike Elias, at long last, seemingly has ownership’s approval to be aggressive. All eyes should be on Charm City moving forward.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles’ Mike Elias hints at what’s next after signing Pete Alonso

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-mets/orioles-news-pete-alonso-breaks-silence-first-post-since-leaving-mets');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles’ Pete Alonso breaks silence with first post since leaving Mets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Mets-first-base-Pete-Alonso-20-gestures-after-hitting-a-double.jpg"><figcaption>Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Orioles’ Pete Alonso breaks silence with first post since leaving Mets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-11T18:47:25-08:00">December 11th, 6:47pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-11T19:23:52-08:00">December 11th, 7:23pm</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>New York Mets fans are still sorting out their emotions following the news that former franchise great <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celebrity/michael-keaton-calls-out-pirates-pete-alonso-signs-orioles">Pete Alonso is heading to the Baltimore Orioles</a> on a five-year, $155 million contract. They are <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-steve-cohen-message-angry-fans-losing-edwin-diaz-pete-alonso">angry with management</a>, confused about the direction the team is taking, and hurt about losing the Polar Bear. Alonso just <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSJXKiGANRp/" rel="noopener">posted an Instagram message</a> that is sure to evoke even more complicated feelings.</p><p>“New York, thank you,” the five-time All-Star and Mets’ all-time home run leader said. “These last few years have shaped me in ways I’ll carry for the rest of my life. This city demands your best and I’m proud to look back knowing I gave everything I had into earning the privilege of wearing that jersey.</p><p>“I’ve been blessed with incredible teammates, coaches, trainers, staff, and countless people who helped shape me into the player and man I am today. I’m forever grateful for every person who challenged me, supported me and believed in me along the way.”</p><p>Alonso posted a .253 batting average with 264 homers, 712 RBIs, a .341 on-base percentage, .516 slugging percentage and .857 OPS in seven seasons with New York. He broke records, gave back to the community and was responsible for arguably the most important Mets moment in the last decade — a go-ahead <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-pete-alonso-clutch-home-run-brewers">three-run bomb</a> off closer Devin Williams in Game 3 of the 2024 National League Wild Card Series. In short, the 31-year-old first baseman left an indelible mark on Queens.</p><h2><b>Mets fans are reeling after the Pete Alonso breakup</b></h2><p>The city as a whole was not ready to say goodbye to Pete Alonso, even though his departure was becoming more likely by the day. People are begging to know more details regarding this massive, potentially franchise-altering development, but for now, the 2016 second-round draft pick is just focused on expressing gratitude to the Flushing Faithful.</p><p>“Thank you for the passion,” he posted. “Thank you for the love. Even the tough love that comes with playing for New York. When it came time for first pitch, thank you for being electric through it all. Thank you for getting rowdy every time I stepped up to the plate and made the building shake when the ball found a seat over the wall. Your energy fueled me more than you’ll ever know.</p><p>“You believed in me, and you made me better. With love, Polar Bear.”</p><p>The Mets pushed the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers to six games in the 2024 NL Championship Series and then enjoyed a big first half to the 2025 season. Fast forward to now, and fans are still trying to make sense of the team’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-rumors-season-changing-regret-after-340-million-collapse">mind-boggling meltdown</a>. Watching Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Edwin Diaz join new clubs is testing the limits of their sanity.</p><p>No. 20’s exit is especially painful to process. He will return to Citi Field when the Orioles battle the Mets next season from Sept. 14-16. However difficult it was for people to read this social media post, the future reunion will be significantly more powerful.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles’ Pete Alonso breaks silence with first post since leaving Mets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celebrity/michael-keaton-calls-out-pirates-pete-alonso-signs-orioles');   ga('set', 'title', 'Michael Keaton calls out cheap ‘coma like’ Pirates after Pete Alonso signs with Orioles');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Michael-Keaton-calls-out-cheap-%E2%80%98coma-like-Pirates-after-Pete-Alonso-signs-with-Orioles.jpg"></figure><h1>Michael Keaton calls out cheap ‘coma like’ Pirates after Pete Alonso signs with Orioles</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-11T17:49:55-08:00">December 11th, 5:49pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-11T17:49:55-08:00">December 11th, 5:49pm</time><address><a>Autumn Hawkins</a>Autumn Hawkins is an Associate Entertainment Editor at ClutchPoints. She enjoys writing about music, lifestyle, film, and television. When she's not writing, she is trying the newest makeup trend, reading a romance novel, or planning her next trip. She is also a proud member of the BeyHive.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Michael Keaton is not happy about <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-fans-react-pete-alonso-official-announcement-fan-reaction" rel="noopener">Pete Alonso signing with the Baltimore Orioles.</a></p><p>The Oscar-nominated actor posted a photo of from MLB.com about the news with the caption, “and of course i’m sure the Pirates never even took a look. Thought probably never crossed their (coma like) mind.”</p><p>Fans were in agreement with Keaton sharing their opinions in the comment section.</p><p>“Small market blues. MLB needs a salary cap badly. I love baseball, but it’s just not right that the Dodgers have a $550M payroll and the Bucs have like 37 dollars. Wait…*checks couch cushions*…38 dollars and 76 cents,” one fan jokingly wrote.</p><p>“I’m so sick of this ownership,” one fan wrote, urging the actor to do something about it. “I wish you would put together a group and buy them.”</p><p>“My favorite Pirates Instagram page,” one fan praised Keaton for keeping them unofficially up to date on Pirates news.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="instagram-media"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSIKtatkT-h/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div><div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div><div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"><div></div><div></div><div></div></div></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 24px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div><p></p></a></div></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>The first baseman and the Orioles have agreed to a five-year contract, the team announced Thursday, Dec. 11. ESPN’s Jeff Passon reports <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/47267529/sources-alonso-finalizing-5-year-155m-deal-orioles">that the deal is worth</a> $155 million contract. According to MLB.com, Alonso has the highest AAV in Orioles history and the second-largest financial commitment <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/pete-alonso-orioles-contract">made in the history </a>of the Orioles following their 2016 contract with Chris Davis who signed a seven-year, $161 million deal.</p><p>“Christmas came early,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said on <a href="https://x.com/iamwesmoore/status/1998817619814801503">social media</a> after the news broke.</p><p>Alonso previously played for the New York Mets where he hit .272 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs this season. The five-time All Star will be introduced to the team on Friday, December 12. </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Michael Keaton calls out cheap ‘coma like’ Pirates after Pete Alonso signs with Orioles

2025 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	HOLDS	SAVES
65	3.323	32	0.8308	8	5

2025 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	HOLDS	SAVES
65	3.323	32	0.8308	8	5

Andrew
Kittredge

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