The Baltimore Orioles made one of the biggest moves in free agency prior to the 2026 season when they signed first baseman Pete Alonso to a massive five-year, $155 million contract.

Things certainly didn't go the way Baltimore wanted this season, as it finished fourth in the American League East with a 79-82 record.

Individually, though, things went well for Alonso, as he made Major League Baseball history in his first season with a new team.

Pete Alonso has now led the American and National Leagues in RBI

Alonso wrapped up his first season in Baltimore with 43 home runs and 113 RBI. His 113 RBI were the second most in all of baseball, trailing only Alec Burleson of the St. Louis Cardinals.

That means Alonso led the American League in RBI, and that accomplishment made him the first player in MLB history to lead both the AL and NL in RBI in separate seasons. Alonso led the AL in RBI this season, and he led the NL in RBI in the 2022 season. 

He was ultimately robbed of a chance to catch Burleson for the major league lead, as the Orioles had their last game of the season canceled due to weather.

Pete Alonso was well worth his contract in Year 1

Baltimore certainly got exactly what it had hoped to get out of Alonso when he signed in free agency. The team results obviously weren't there, but Alonso finishing in the top 10 in several offensive categories is exactly what the front office paid him to do.

With four years remaining on his contract, any sort of steady production from Alonso similar to what he did in Year 1 would etch him as one of the top right-handed hitters in Orioles history.