On December 21, 1995, Alomar signed with the Baltimore Orioles at a time when Toronto was looking to rebuild, while Baltimore was improving into a pennant-contending team. In Baltimore, he paired with Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. to form a formidable double-play combination. Alomar appeared in the playoffs in 1996 and 1997 for the Orioles, hitting a series-winning home run in Game 4 of the 1996 American League Division Series (ALDS), although the Orioles were defeated in the ALCS both years. In 1998, he was named the Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game MVP.