BALTIMORE — Rejoice, Orioles fans.

This isn’t winter business as usual for Mike Elias. This is what you’ve been waiting for. This is a declaration of a new era across Birdland.

The jaw-dropping free agent signing of power-hitter Pete Alonso Wednesday afternoon represents the richest average annual salary ever given to an MLB first baseman and the largest AAV in Orioles history.

Let me say this upfront: Count me among those who doubted we’d ever see this day.

Last month, I questioned Elias’ ability to convert opportunity into action, wondering whether he had legitimate spending power in what was expected to be the biggest offseason in his seven-year tenure as the club’s top baseball chief. I also criticized the stealthy promotion he received from general manager to president of baseball operations and questioned whether it signaled complacency. I was worried that the Orioles were content with being thrifty contenders, content on their own longstanding ways, rather than transforming into complete ones.

Landing Alonso is by far the most aggressive move of Elias’ tenure, and it’s the first real splash in the David Rubenstein era. If you wondered whether the Orioles would ever escape the perception of being cheap spenders, this is the purest sign that Rubenstein has drastically changed the organization’s appetite and direction.

To his credit, Elias, the 2023 MLB Executive of the Year award winner, was undeterred in his pursuit of a lineup-altering power bat. After slugger Kyle Schwarber reportedly brought Baltimore’s initial $150 million offer to Philadelphia, his destination choice all along, Elias quickly went back to the drawing board and reached for the sky.

Could this be the strongest indication that the Orioles are serious about contending in 2026?

They’ll do so, now armed with the “Polar Bear,” the popular nickname attached to Alonso, a five-time All-Star selection, including each of the past four years and reigning Silver Slugger Award winner.

Alonso brings legitimate power that he’s displayed throughout his seven seasons, all with the New York Mets. This past season, he racked up 170 hits, 87 runs, 41 doubles and 38 homers with a .871 OPS — each of those categories would’ve led the Orioles by wide margins. Alonso, who turned 31 on Sunday, has shown no signs of aging, either. He’s been remarkably available throughout his successful career, posting consecutive 162-game seasons over the past two years.

If anything, Alonso’s meticulous approach at the plate — he notably made mechanical changes by shortening his swing length in 2025 — could become a contagious effect in a clubhouse that is seeking in-house fixes from many of its talented homegrown hitters.

Inside the clubhouse, his presence matters just as much under Albernaz’s “For the boys,” mantra. Alonso isn’t known as a “rah-rah” guy, but he brings a wealth of experience and handled the daily microscope of baseball in a major market.

Perhaps equally important, Alonso’s arrival creates additional roster flexibility.

Coby Mayo and Ryan Mountcastle combined for 126 starts at first base last year. Alonso, though, rarely sits, which could make other pieces expendable in Elias’ pursuit for additional roster upgrades, particularly in the starting pitcher market.

If you’re still reserved considering Elias’ 0-5 record in the postseason, sure, one signing does not make up for seven years of disappointment and postseason misfortune.

But Elias is, in Albernaz’s own words, “cooking this offseason.”

Elias’ move to quietly reacquire reliever Andrew Kittredge, his loud decision to ship away fan favorite but oft-injured starter Grayson Rodriguez in a rare one-for-one swap for slugger Taylor Ward, his imperative signing of closer Ryan Helsley, and now his stunning jump to the top of MLB’s free agency market all signal a new era.

I executed a double take when news surfaced that the Orioles offered Schwarber a five-year, $150 million contract. During the brief window, between Schwarber resigning with Philadelphia and Alonso agreeing to terms with Baltimore, I thought, "Well, at least Elias is swinging big. Who knows if he’ll catch the big fish?”

Then on Wednesday, Elias went out and dished out the most money, thus far, to Baltimore’s new slugger in free agency.

Whew.

“He knows baseball inside out … Mike deserves everything that he has received from the Orioles,” Rubenstein said of Elias on Nov. 4. “He’s done a spectacular job, and we have great confidence in him for many, many years in the future.”

Let’s see how long Elias keeps his foot on the gas pedal. The club still needs another ace, potentially two, and a new-look coaching staff led by Albernaz needs to bring the talent to life in 2026. Considering how he’s maneuvered over the past six weeks, there’s little reason to doubt Elias at this point. This winter is different. The Orioles and Elias are operating with never-before-seen urgency. It sure feels refreshing.

Welcome to Baltimore, Pete Alonso.

Welcome to a new era.

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