After seven years with the New York Mets, Pete Alonso signed with the Baltimore Orioles in December and is showing his love to the community.
Alonso said on Glenn Clark Radio May 22 that he and his wife, Haley, want to give back to their new home by getting involved with local organizations such as the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS).
“We’re animal lovers. My wife and I grew up with animals in the house and they’re not just pets, they’re members of the family,” said Alonso, who has two rescue dogs himself. “Having that bond and special relationship, for me it’s beyond special. To be able to provide funds for a safe haven for animals … is a tremendous thing.”
In April, Alonso and Haley donated $10,000 to BARCS through the Alonso Foundation. Two seasons ago with the Mets, the first baseman donated $1,000 per home run to animal rescues. He hit 34 home runs that season.
“We are beyond thrilled to be here, and want to be able to give back. I want to play as well as I can, help the team win as [many] games as possible, go to the playoffs and win a championship,” Alonso said. “But the impact we want to leave is not just with baseball, we want to involve ourselves in the community and show appreciation for all aspects, not just appreciate the baseball stuff but everything Baltimore has to offer.
“[Donating to BARCS] was our first little initiative, we just wanted to do that because BARCS seems to be a pillar here and they do such great work.”
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound first baseman ranks first in Baltimore with 33 RBIs and second in home runs with 10. So far this season, Alonso is hitting .235/.319/.441 in 232 plate appearances entering play on May 26.
When asked about producing below his career norms in a new environment, Alonso said that “the desire to play well is obviously there, [but] you can definitely overcook things.”
“[Baseball] can be really difficult and frustrating sometimes and also hey, it’s a round ball and a round bat and I’m trying to hit it squarely,” Alonso said.
Alonso has been seen using an eight-pound sledgehammer in the on-deck circle to enhance his hitting. He was inspired by Barry Bonds, who used a sledgehammer to make swings more efficient and force a batter’s body to move fluidly. Alonso uses it in the on-deck circle and the batting cages.
“I started swinging it in the offseason [after 2024], hitting balls off the tee with it and doing front toss,” Alonso said. “… For me, it puts my body in a really good position because obviously you have to use your whole body to swing the hammer because it’s heavy and if you don’t use your whole body or if something’s out of sequence, it won’t feel right. The whole point is how can I use my body to make this thing weightless and feel like a regular bat.”
For more from Alonso, listen to the full interview here:
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