Pete Alonso’s Bold Move to the Orioles Stuns Fans—What Does This Mean for the Mets and Braves?

Well, Queens just lost its “Polar Bear”—Pete Alonso, the powerhouse first baseman who made Mets history and stole the hearts of fans for seven electric seasons, is now donning the Baltimore Orioles’ orange and black. Over his tenure, Alonso smashed franchise home run records, set rookie season benchmarks, and wowed crowds with multiple Home Run Derby wins. Now, with a jaw-dropping five-year, $155 million deal in tow, he’s headed to Charm City, and trust me, this move is shaking up the baseball world in ways that go beyond just the numbers.

On this fresh episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman dive deep into what Alonso’s blockbuster contract means—not just for the Orioles signing a superstar outside the usual big-market scramble, but also for the Mets left scrambling to figure out their next move after bidding farewell to another fan favorite. They also unpack reactions from former players who are, frankly, left stunned by the transfer.

But that’s not all—Jake and Jordan also spotlight Robert Suarez’s leap to the Atlanta Braves, shedding light on why you better not overlook the Braves this upcoming season. Plus, they break down several other lesser-known free-agent signings that have quietly unfolded after the Winter Meetings. Before wrapping things up, they serve up their hot takes in this week’s The Good, The Bad & The Uggla, giving listeners plenty to chew over.

The shifting tides of baseball just got a whole lot stormier—and you’ll want to hear every angle.

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The Polar Bear has gone extinct in Queens as career New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso has joined the Baltimore Orioles. A fan favorite for seven seasons—during which he set the franchise home run record, captured the single-season rookie home run record, and won multiple Home Run Derby titles—Alonso will be wearing orange and black next season.

On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk about the surprising five-year, $155 million contract the Birds gave Alonso and why it’s awesome to see a superstar join a team like the Orioles instead of the usual suspects signing big free agents. They then try to figure out what the Mets do next after losing yet another fan favorite, and how the move is leaving former players flabbergasted.

Later, Jake and Jordan discuss Robert Suarez joining the Atlanta Braves and why we shouldn’t be sleeping on them next season, as well as a few other smaller free-agent deals that have gone down post–Winter Meetings. Then the guys make their picks for this week’s The Good, The Bad & The Uggla.