The Baltimore Orioles made one of the biggest splashes of the season when they signed first baseman Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract. Alonso's impact is already being seen before he has even donned a Baltimore jersey.

Taylor Ward will also be a first-year member of the Orioles after coming over in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels. He knows sharing a lineup with Alonso should only lead to success, via the MLB Network.

“Such a great hitter,” Ward said of Alonso. “I've known of him obviously and the power that he brings to the table. It's going to be great for this lineup, veteran leadership as well. I just think it's the perfect fit for us.”

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The Orioles finished their 2025 campaign ranked 24th in runs scored with 677. It was clear Baltimore needed a spark in their lineup to get over the playoff hump. Ward, his 36 home runs and 103 RBIs from 2025 was the first step of their plan. But the O's proved they were serious about their playoff hopes by signing Alonso.

Over his seven years with the Mets, the first baseman hit .253 with 264 home runs and 712 RBIs. He was named an All-Star five times and was the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year. During the 2025 campaign, Alonso hit .272 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs. If he had been playing on the Orioles, Alonso would've ranked first in both home runs and RBIs by a wide margin.

With a collection of talented prospects and now veteran mashers to match, the Orioles should have one of the scariest lineups in the league. That's at least what Ward is thinking now being teammates with Alonso.