The New York Mets entered the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings hoping to stabilize their roster, yet the week has brought a jarring twist as they react to former slugger Pete Alonso inking a five-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles. The Mets now find themselves responding to the contract development that stunned many across the league, as the reaction from Ron Darling added even more weight to the moment. The Orioles signing of the veteran first baseman added a new layer to the unfolding MLB offseason, and the organization now faces difficult questions after Alonso agreed to a five-year, $155 million deal with Baltimore.
Awful Announcing took to its official X (formerly known as Twitter), sharing the moment the Mets Hall of Fame pitcher expressed shock during live coverage of the Winter Meetings. The post highlighted Darling’s immediate and unfiltered assessment of the news.
“Ron Darling is “flabbergasted” that Pete Alonso has signed with the Baltimore Orioles.”
Ron Darling is "flabbergasted" that Pete Alonso has signed with the Baltimore Orioles. pic.twitter.com/GXQBunQP6d
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 10, 2025
“I’m flabbergasted. I’m just, you know, the Díaz news was shocking, but you know the Dodgers get whatever they want,” Darling said. “But we reported yesterday that Pete, who lives in Tampa, was going to drive over here and meet with the Red Sox and meet with the Orioles. The Orioles were all in on Kyle Schwarber; that’s how Schwarber got the money from the Philadelphia Phillies, and they’re not messing around. The Orioles have said they want to land a big whale, and they did in Alonso.”
Alonso will depart from Queens after a standout 2025 season that included 38 home runs, 126 RBIs, and a Silver Slugger Award. The signing adds a major middle-order bat to an Orioles team seeking a deeper push after missing the 2025 playoffs and finishing 75-87, last in the AL East, while the Mets must now reassess how they plan to structure their lineup around Juan Soto.
The Mets held firm at three years, but Darling’s reaction showed how the move hit the fan base. The Winter Meetings update also made clear how fast plans shift when a team like Baltimore pushes hard.
