Alonso has a new number -- and a heartwarming story why

Numbers can be special for a variety of reasons. And in baseball, numbers have a central place in the sport's rich lore. There are stats, of course, but there are also jersey numbers that are etched in the minds of baseball fans everywhere for the great players who donned them during their careers.

For Pete Alonso, the number 20 was what he wore during his seven seasons with the Mets. But after signing a five-year, $155 million contract to join the Orioles earlier this week, No. 20 wasn't an option -- it has been retired by the O's in honor of Hall of Famer Frank Robinson.

• Alonso on decision to join Orioles: 'Everything just clicked'

So Alonso chose another number not far away, and for a very special reason.

"So, 2025 is such a special year for me and my family," Alonso said in a video posted to social media by the Orioles on Friday, "because we welcomed our son into the world in the year 2025. So I chose 25 because of him."

Alonso and his wife, Haley, welcomed a baby boy, Teddy, into the world on Sept. 21.

The 2025 season wasn't so great for the Orioles, who followed back-to-back playoff appearances with a last-place finish in the American League East. But with one of the greatest sluggers in the game now wearing Baltimore's uniform, the O's could very well look back at 2025 with fondness.

Alonso is coming off one of the finest campaigns of his career. He posted an .871 OPS with a National League-leading 41 doubles to go along with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs in 2025. He also earned his fifth career All-Star selection.

While the man they call the "Polar Bear" will certainly be remembered in Queens for his powerful bat -- he belted a franchise-record 264 home runs while wearing a No. 20 Mets uniform -- a new chapter is beginning in the life of Alonso and his family, one that will be represented by the number 25.