SARASOTA, Fla. -- As Pete Alonso stood behind the right-field bullpen at Ed Smith Stadium during the seventh-inning stretch to discuss his first Spring Training game with the Orioles late Friday afternoon, he stopped mid-sentence when he heard John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” -- a staple at Camden Yards since the ballpark’s opening in 1992 -- playing loudly.
“I really love this song,” Alonso said. “This is going to be really fun this year.”
O’s fans feel the same. And those who attended Friday’s Grapefruit League opener vs. the Yankees (plenty wearing their new No. 25 Alonso jerseys) got a taste of what the Polar Bear is bringing to Baltimore.
Alonso slugged the first Spring Training home run of 2026, a two-run blast that accounted for all the scoring in Baltimore’s 2-0 exhibition win. The 31-year-old first baseman went deep in his third plate appearance in an O’s uniform, pouncing on a first-pitch curveball from right-hander Bradley Hanner and sending it deep over the left-field fence.
"Obviously, hitting homers feels amazing, doesn't matter what time of year. Happy to break the seal," said Alonso, who signed a five-year, $155 million deal on Dec. 11. "I feel honored to wear [this uniform]. I feel great in it, I feel like I look good in it. So, it's fantastic. I honestly couldn't feel any better."
The Orioles made the big splash of landing Alonso largely because of his powerful bat. In seven seasons with the Mets, he became the franchise’s all-time homer leader, slugging 264 home runs over 1,008 games.
Baltimore also signed Alonso because he’s a gamer, a leader and a strong veteran presence.
For example, many O’s starters came out of Friday’s contest after five innings. Not Alonso, who wanted to play one more frame to get a few extra reps at first and an additional at-bat.
“He wanted it, and he made the most of it,” said manager Craig Albernaz, who was victorious in his debut as the Orioles’ skipper. “It speaks a lot. Pete just wants to play.”
Alonso isn’t one to shy away from Spring Training games. Over the previous seven seasons, he recorded at least 50 at-bats in Grapefruit action four times (including a whopping 71 in 2019, as well as 55 in ‘25). That’s what he feels best prepares him for the regular season.
"Tomorrow I got off, so it's like, 'What's three more outs on defense? What's one more at-bat?'" Alonso said. "For me, I just want to get as many reps in a competitive environment as possible."
It hasn’t taken long for Alonso to become a leader at O’s camp, largely because of his loud, boisterous voice, which could be heard quite often during the early days of workouts. He’s spent time chatting with various groups of teammates and kept the energy up over the past 10 days.
“It’s high energy. He’s a big presence on the field, he’s a leader in the clubhouse, and he’s already made that presence felt from the start of camp,” infielder Coby Mayo said. “It’s going to be great to have him this year with us, and the next five, and just looking forward to that.”
Alonso’s parents, Peter and Michelle, were among the various members of his family and friends to attend Friday’s game. It was a short drive down from Tampa, where Alonso lives, to Sarasota, which he knew well even before reporting to camp this spring.
In his youth, Alonso’s travel baseball team was the Sarasota Salty Dogs, who played games at the Cal Ripken Complex field across the street from Ed Smith Stadium.
“As a kid, I remember riding shotgun, just getting ready, getting dressed,” Alonso said. “It’s really cool kind of driving by because I had many, many, many games and weekends over just right across the street at that complex. So it’s really special.”
It’s just another way that Alonso joining the Orioles was a perfect fit, in addition to the protection he provides in the heart of the lineup and the support he provides to his new teammates in the clubhouse, where his locker is positioned in the spot in the corner reserved for a veteran.
Alonso appreciated the loud cheers he received before (and during) his first O’s spring game. He's even raving about the team’s color scheme.
“I think orange is my color,” Alonso said with a smile.
It feels like Alonso may be right -- he’s going to have a lot of fun this year.