UNITED STATES. 2026 Major League Baseball preseason started with a bang. The new first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, Pete Alonso, hit the first home run of the spring, making it clear from the start why he was one of the most important acquisitions of the winter.
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Nicknamed the “Polar Bear,” Alonso punished a curveball in his third at-bat during the inaugural duel against the New York Yankees. The hit, against right-hander Bradley Hanner, surpassed the left field fence in the sixth inning to break a scoreless tie.
The home run was a two-run shot, also driving in Jeremiah Jackson, and ignited Baltimore’s offense in the first Grapefruit League game.
Alonso, 31, arrives at the Orioles with the backing of 264 home runs in seven seasons and after becoming in 2025 the historical home run leader of the New York Mets. During the offseason he signed a five-year, $155 million contract, establishing himself as one of the most consistent power hitters of the last decade.
