First baseman Pete Alonso and the Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a five-year, $155 million contract, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Wednesday.

Alonso, after failing to get the long-term deal that he coveted, made $30 million with the New York Mets in 2025 and was worth every penny as he rebounded to slash .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs, batting behind Juan Soto for the first time. But the Mets did not make Alonso an offer, sources confirmed to ESPN.

In August, the five-time All-Star became the Mets’ all-time leader in home runs, surpassing Darryl Strawberry’s previous record of 252 to solidify his place as one of the franchise’s top players. Alonso now has 264 home runs.

It was Alonso’s best offensive output since his rookie season, with one key underlying metric (xwOBA) being the best of his career. So what changed? His strikeout rate was down and his power numbers were up, both of which would be affected by the shortening of his swing length. The shortness of his swing was in the 74th percentile (ranked 58th) this season after being in the 51st percentile (ranked 104th) last season, among qualified hitters.

But his baserunning and defensive metrics continued to regress, almost entirely due to his range.

Within minutes of the Mets’ final game — a season that saw them collapse over 3½ months from the best team in baseball in mid-June to postseason spectators — Alonso opted out of the $24 million remaining on his contract to reenter free agency.

Alonso, 31, was a beloved homegrown star in Queens after he was drafted in the second round by the Mets in 2016. He burst onto the scene with an MLB-leading 53 home runs to win the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year Award. He became a fixture over six seasons for his slugging prowess, eccentric personality and his affinity for the organization.

Coming off his worst year in 2024 as a major leaguer with full-season career lows in home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage and OPS, Alonso sought a lucrative long-term contract after rejecting a seven-year, $158 million extension in the summer of 2023. But David Stearns, president of baseball operations, refused to engage Alonso on the long-term deal he wanted.

The Orioles won the AL East in 2023 and were a wild card last year, but a team full of young talent backslid significantly in 2025. Baltimore’s pitching had a lot to do with that, but the offense wasn’t great either despite the presence of Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Jordan Westburg.

Alonso gives the Orioles a veteran power bat in the middle of the lineup, and new manager Craig Albernaz will have some flexibility. Rutschman and Samuel Basallo are options at both catcher and designated hitter, with Basallo also potentially getting at-bats at first base. Alonso has played 162 games each of the past two seasons, almost all at first base.

It’s now harder to see a path to regular playing time, barring injury, for first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who could become a free agent after this season. Coby Mayo, a power-hitting prospect who hit .217 with 11 homers in 85 games this past season, might also be blocked.

Baltimore could still use a dependable starter to help a rotation that produced a 4.65 ERA last season, but acquiring Alonso shows the Orioles are willing and able to land a top free agent after sticking mostly to short-term deals in recent years.

“Christmas came early,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said on social media after the news broke.

Earlier this offseason, Baltimore signed reliever Ryan Helsley and traded for outfielder Taylor Ward.

The Mets lost Alonso a day after closer Edwin Diaz agreed to leave New York for a $69 million, three-year contract with the two-time World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, a deal still not finalized. New York also traded outfielder Brandon Nimmo to Texas on Nov. 24 for Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien.

New York was baseball’s second-biggest spender heading into 2025 behind the Dodgers but failed to reach the postseason.

ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, Kiley McDaniel and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves signed veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year deal Wednesday that includes a club option for 2028.

The 35-year-old Yastrzemski hit .233 with 17 home runs and 46 RBIs in 146 games last year between San Francisco and Kansas City.

Yastrzemski, who spent the first six-plus seasons of his career with the Giants before being sent to the Royals in July, will make $9 million in 2026 and $10 million in 2027. Atlanta holds a club option for 2028. Yastrzemski will make $7 million if the Braves pick up the option. He will receive a $4 million buyout if they do not.

The versatile Yastrzemski, the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, can play all three outfield positions and is a career .238 hitter. His best season came in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign, when he batted .297 with 10 homers in 54 games and finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The New York Yankees made their first selection in a Rule 5 draft since 2011 on Wednesday, taking right-hander Cade Winquest from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Winquest was one of 13 players — and 12 right-handed pitchers — chosen in the major league portion of the draft.

The Rockies took RJ Petit, a 6-foot-8 reliever, with the first pick from the Detroit Tigers. Petit, 26, had a 2.44 ERA in 45 relief appearances and two starts between Double A and Triple A last season. The Minnesota Twins chose the only position player, selecting catcher Daniel Susac from the Athletics.

Clubs pay $100,000 to select a player and must keep him on the active major league roster for the entire following season unless he lands on the injured list. Players taken off the roster must be offered back to the former club for $50,000.

The 25-year-old Winquest recorded a 4.58 ERA with a 48% groundball rate in 106 innings across 25 games, including 23 starts, between Single A and Double A last season. He features a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and touches 98 mph plus a curveball, cutter and sweeper. He is expected to compete for a spot in the Yankees’ bullpen next season.

Right-hander Brad Meyers was the last player the Yankees had chosen in a Rule 5 draft. He suffered a right shoulder injury in spring training and was on the injured list for the entire 2012 season before he was offered back to the Washington Nationals. He never appeared in a major league game.

Also picked were right-hander Jedixson Paez (Colorado from Boston), right-hander Griff McGarry (Washington from Philadelphia), catcher Carter Baumler (Pittsburgh from Baltimore), right-hander Ryan Watson (Athletics from San Francisco), right-hander Matthew Pushard (St. Louis from Miami), right-hander Roddery Munoz (Houston from Cincinnati), right-hander Peyton Pallette (Cleveland from Chicago White Sox), right-hander Spencer Miles (Toronto from San Francisco), right-hander Zach McCambley (Philadelphia from Miami) and right-hander Alexander Alberto (White Sox from Tampa Bay).