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george castillo
NEW YORK — After a year of scouting teams in Major League Baseball, he was not deemed worthy of a long-term contract, pete alonso The free agent is back on the market looking for long-term love.
In February, after a lengthy standoff, Alonso agreed to a two-year, $54 million deal to return. New York Mets With an opt-out after the 2025 season. He was paid $30 million for the year and posted good enough numbers to make him the clear choice. And Alonso wasted no time, announcing that this was his plan minutes after losing his final regular season game against the Mets. miami marlins Missing the playoffs.
For some reasons, this time they are more likely to find a long-term partner. The first is obvious: He’s running a very strong campaign. Alonso had his worst season in 2024, slashing .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs. That was, in a vacuum, a good production. But it was his fourth consecutive season with declining numbers – a worrisome pattern considering that Alonso was about to turn 30 and added no value on defense or on the basepaths.
The metrics suggested that Alonso was still one of the worst defensive first basemen in baseball in 2025 – his minus-9 defensive runs saved and minus-9 strikeouts were above average, both of which ranked 18th out of 18 qualified first basemen – but he bounced back in the batter’s box. With an adjusted swing and approach, Alonso hit the ball hard – his 93.5 mph average exit velocity was a career high – and production followed.
He slashed .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs and 126 RBI, most of them behind the plate. juan sotoHis 141 wRC+ was the second highest output of his career, He set the franchise record for career home runs, further solidifying his place as one of the most beloved Mets in recent history,
Also of note: Alonso played all 162 games for the second consecutive season and appeared in 1,008 of the Mets’ 1,032 regular-season games since debuting in 2019. He has started 993 of those games at first base, 60 at DH.
Over that span, his 264 career home runs ranked only third in baseball. aaron judge And kyle schwarberA fellow free agent. Alonso is durable and consistent.
Then there is the market. Alonso and Schwarber are the two premier power bats available in free agency this offseason. On the first basis, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.The decision to sign a 14-year, $500 million extension with Toronto in April sidelined Alonso’s stiffest competition. Josh Naylor There’s a level below – and a different player with less power but better defensively and on base – and Seattle wasn’t going to spend the money needed for Alonso, but the Mariners have retained their first baseman, still removing an option at the position for other clubs.
Add this up and Alonso should get a deal over a four- to five-year period. The question is where. Here are some potential landing spots for the five-time All-Star, starting with three of his most aggressive suitors so far, including the only team he’s ever known.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said last week that he would “love” to bring back closer Alonso Edwin DiazAnother All-Star free agent. Alonso’s willingness to serve as the designated hitter at least in a part-time capacity doesn’t hurt as the Mets prioritize improving the running back’s defense in 2025.
“He’s obviously a very good offensive player,” Stearns said at GM meetings in Las Vegas. “And I think the ability to get your bat in the lineup in a variety of ways is helpful for any team. And it’s great to know that Pete is ready for things like this.”
But the Mets’ top offseason priority is pitching — in the rotation and bullpen — and they have internal options at first base and DH in the short and long term. mark vientos, bret batty And Jeff McNeil Could play first base. Juan Soto, after a poor defensive year in right field, will finally see time at DH. Furthermore, Stearns’ reluctance to give Alonso what he wanted last winter shows that he does not want to make that level of investment in him.
The Mets haven’t had a chance to start anyone other than Alonso at first base on Opening Day since Adrián González made a 54-game cameo to end his career in 2018. A year later, Alonso debuted and hit the club’s 54 home runs en route to being named National League Rookie of the Year. He became a fan favorite in his seven seasons at Queens. But he may find himself in another uniform in 2026.
First base production in 2025: .244/.305/.386, 16 HR, 86 wRC+, -0.7 fWAR
Primary first baseman: abraham toro (57 starts), romi gonzalez (41), Tristan Casas (27), Nathaniel Lowe (26)
Designated Hitter Production in 2025: .272/.361/.465, 26 HR, 125 wRC+, 2.5 fWAR
Primary Designated Hitter: rafael devers (73), masataka yoshida (44), Rob Refsnider (18), roman anthony (17)
Most of Boston’s DH production last season came from Devers before he was traded in June. First base was a major problem, beginning with Casas’ slow start and exacerbated when he was sidelined for the season with a knee injury in early May. The logical choice to replace him – Devers – declined the assignment, leading Boston to send him to San Francisco.
Toro, González and Lowe, who were signed in August, took charge for the remainder of the season. Toro was designated for assignment in August. Lowe’s suffered the same fate on Tuesday.
Red Sox president of baseball operations Craig Breslow has made it clear: He wants to acquire a skilled middle-order bat, preferably a right-handed bat. Trading Devers, combined with alex bregman’s free agency has left the Red Sox without too many proven sluggers in their lineup. A reunion with Bregman would check that box. As was the signing of Alonso, who could split time at first base and DH with Cass if Boston wanted to keep him.
Do the Red Sox have appetite for both free agents? Trading Devers took $29.1 million off the payroll while remaining competitive for each of the next eight years. Of the Red Sox’s relatively modest $201 million CBT payroll, approximately $98 million came off the books after the season. Their 2026 payroll is projected to include a cap hit of more than $50 million, but Boston is a big-market club with plenty of money to make ends meet.
First base production in 2025: .252/.318/.445, 29 HR, 107 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR
Primary first baseman: spencer steer (start 113), Christian Encarnación-Strand (25)
Designated Hitter Production in 2025: .240/.313/.407, 21 HR, 96 wRC+, -0.2 fWAR
Primary Designated Hitter: Gavin Lux (57 starts), austin hayes (38), miguel andujar (20), tyler stephenson (17), steer (16)
The Reds finished 14th in the majors in runs scored, but their collective 92 wRC+, a metric that adjusts for park factors and league context, ranked 24th. The Reds know there is room for improvement by playing half of their games at Great American Ball Park, a haven for hitters, so they are trying to strengthen their offense.
First base and DH are not obvious requirements. Spencer Steere hit 21 home runs in 146 games. sal stewartJoe, who turns 22 next month, will be a big part of the calculus after posting a 121 OPS+ in the first 18 games of his career. But Alonso remains on another level. As does Cincinnati-area native Schwarber.
Now, the money part. Signing any slugger would require the largest free agent contract in franchise history; The current high marks are two four-year, $64 million deals that have been given Nick Castellanos And Mike Moustakas in 2020. The Reds are projected to have a $120 million CBT payroll for next season after finishing 2025 with a $143 million payroll, their highest since 2021. That estimate also includes expected growth. If investing in a premier free agent is too much — or if they all decide to play elsewhere — the Reds could work through their starting rotation depth to bring in a cheaper option on the trade market.
First base production in 2025: .262/.351/.479, 32 HR, 128 wRC+, 3.9 fWAR
Primary first baseman: bryce harper (start 130)
Designated Hitter Production in 2025: .238/.362/.566, 57 HR, 152 wRC+, 5.1 fWAR
Primary Designated Hitter: Kyle Schwarber (154 starts)
With Bryce Harper at first base, Alonso would probably only make sense for the Phillies if they don’t re-sign Schwarber — this side’s best designated hitter in the majors. shohei ohtaniBut Phillies owner John Middleton isn’t afraid to spend money, and the team could move Harper back to the outfield to make work of both Alonso and Schwarber, Offensively, Alonso’s right-handed bat makes sense, as the Phillies hope to move on from catcher Nick Castellanos JT Realmuto is a free agent, and alec bohm Is a candidate for trade.
First base production in 2025: .246/.323/.411, 18 HR, 103 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR
Primary first baseman: spencer horwitz (start 93), Enmanuel Valdez (22)
Designated Hitter Production in 2025: .238/.328/.390, 19 HR, 98 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR
Primary Designated Hitter: Andrew McCutchen (start 120), brian reynolds (34)
It’s a long shot, but the Pirates want to spend money on upgrading their offense to complement a strong pitching staff headlined by a Cy Young Award winner. Paul SkenesLike the A’s last winter in their quest to upgrade their starting rotation, overpaying for an impact bat may be required, Cost of doing business,
First base production in 2025: .243/.310/.369, 14 HR, 92 wRC+, 0.6 fWAR
Primary first baseman: Kobe Mayo (67 starts), Ryan Mountcastle (50), Ryan O’Hearn (39)
Designated Hitter Production in 2025: .221/.296/.380, 22 HR, 90 wRC+, -0.5 fWAR
Primary Designated Hitter: Mountcastle (33 starts), O’Hern (31), Adley Ratshman (18), Jordan Westberg (16), tyler o’neil (13)
In GM meetings, Orioles general manager Mike Elias said he wanted to add a power hitter, preferably an outfielder, this offseason. to achieve taylor ward for right hand grayson rodriguez on tuesday checked that boxBut they could always add more slugs and Alonso gave them in abundance,
Designated Hitter Production in 2025: .282/.354/.484, 34 HR, 133 wRC+, 3.6 fWAR
Primary Designated Hitter: george springer (80 starts), anthony santander (30), Vladimir Guerrero Jr.(24)
The fit isn’t neat, but the Blue Jays could lose a right-handed hitter bo bichet in free agency this winter and could serve as Alonso’s replacement. The Blue Jays had expressed interest in Alonso last winter, but Guerrero’s future was very uncertain at the time. We’re not even bothering to list first base as a possibility for Alonso in Toronto because that’s been Guerrero’s job for so long. Springer enjoyed a resurgent season primarily as Toronto’s DH, so he will have to move back to the outfield to make room for Alonso.
