The World Baseball Classic is currently underway, in a competition that has featured dozens of stars across several teams. Team USA brought an interesting roster to the tournament, even without the services of Pete Alonso.
The new star of the Baltimore Orioles is one of the notable absences from the WBC, although he curiously revealed that he could have faced his own country. How was that possible? In recent remarks, he said that Italy national baseball team tried to bring him onto their roster.
Not long ago, Alonso became a father with his partner, a specific and sufficient reason for him to decline any kind of call-up. “The WBC is sick, but this wasn’t the year to do it. The personal circumstance just didn’t line up.”
The five-time All-Star and former star of the New York Mets made it clear that his focus is solely on his personal matters, as well as on this new chapter with his new team in Major League Baseball.
Hope remains intact in Baltimore
The Baltimore Orioles have completely revitalized their clubhouse and fan base by signing Pete Alonso to a landmark five-year, $155 million contract. Known as “The Polar Bear,” Alonso arrives as the “adult in the room” that Baltimore lacked during a disappointing 2025 season, and he has already made an impact in Spring Training by homering in his debut and taking a leadership role with the young core.
He joins the Orioles following a stellar 2025 campaign where he played all 162 games, posting a .272 batting average with 38 home runs and a career-high 126 RBIs. By adding a veteran who has smashed at least 34 homers in each of his last five full seasons, the Orioles have solidified the middle of their lineup as they aim to climb out of the AL East cellar and return to postseason contention.