Pete Alonso is about to hit the open market as a free agent for the second consecutive winter in hopes that things go much differently this time around.
Coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, at least by his standards, hopes of a long-term deal quickly evaporated when a thin market shepherded him back to the New York Mets on a two-year, $54 million deal that included an opt-out after 2025.
Ultimately, the bet on himself appears worth it. The 30-year-old first baseman slugged 38 home runs with a league-leading 41 doubles, 126 RBI, and an .881 OPS.
While the sting of the Mets’ remarkable three-month-long collapse had not even set in yet, following the final game of the regular season — a loss to the Miami Marlins — Alonso quickly claimed that he would opt out.
For as much as he has talked about his love for the Mets and his desire to stay in Queens, such a quick proclamation was head-scratching and something to consider if the relationship between Alonso’s camp, led by Scott Boras, and New York’s braintrust of David Stearns and Steve Cohen, deteriorates.
That would be a surprising development, though. The rest of the first-baseman market is less than stellar, and a team that believes it is still on the verge of World Series contention can’t afford to lose out on one of its most valuable bats alongside Juan Soto.
Josh Naylor, Ryan O’Hearn, Josh Bell, or a 40-year-old Carlos Santana can’t provide what Alonso does. Expecting Japanese star Munataka Murakami, who will make the jump to North America this winter, to do so is also an unrealistic expectation.
This is all going to come down to dollars and cents, though, and Alonso still wants a longer-term deal that will make him the highest-paid first baseman in the game. If Stearns and Cohen are as immovable as they were last season, trouble is certainly brewing, especially if another team decides to roll the dice.
There could realistically be a few of them. Let’s take an early look on who that might be:
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks have moved on from Christian Walker (free agency) and Josh Naylor (traded to Mariners at deadline) in the last year and still had one of the best offenses in baseball. Pitching is an obvious priority, but getting Alonso transforms a solid lineup into one of the game’s more imposing units.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox were involved with Alonso last winter, which was their first real foray into big-spending on the free-agent market in years. It didn’t work out, but they did bring on Alex Bregman, who anchored an ahead-of-schedule club to the Wild Card Series. Bregman is opting out, and if the Red Sox lose him, they could intensify their focus on Alonso to provide the punch they’ve been missing.
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs have been loosely linked to Alonso for years, but they likely need to resolve the Kyle Tucker situation first. After being acquired from the Houston Astros in a blockbuster deal, Tucker was one of the engines of Chicago’s offense in 2025. If he walks, a big bat is necessary if they want to keep up with the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.
New York Yankees
There are probably some Yankees fans licking their chops at the prospect of an Alonso pursuit. Some will see it as revenge after Soto ditched the Bronx to go to Queens. The reality of it is that the Bronx Bombers need another stellar bat to pair with Aaron Judge and a legitimate option at first base, especially if Ben Rice is being talked about as potential trade bait. Cody Bellinger could leave in free agency, which puts extra stress on landing a slugger for general manager Brian Cashman, who still has a job despite failing to construct a legitimate force in a very winnable and underwhelming American League.
Philadelphia Phillies
Kyle Schwarber is a free agent, and it sure would be difficult to replace the 50 home runs that walk out the door should he sign elsewhere. Alonso would soften that blow, and Philadelphia would then have to shift Bryce Harper back to right field, which is still an upgrade over the defensively-challenged Nick Castellanos.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants are struggling to stay relevant in the NL West behind the Dodgers and even the Diamondbacks despite their best efforts to spend big. This is a team that has been desperate for a power surge for years, and Alonso could create an elite platoon by sharing first base and DH duties with Rafael Devers.
Seattle Mariners
Naylor is a free agent after the Mariners got him at the trade deadline, and nearly made the World Series with him. Seattle’s pitching is there, but the bats were inconsistent, scoring just five runs across the final two games of the ALCS. They’re so close to their first pennant. Could Alonso get them over the finish line?
Washington Nationals
The Nationals have done well to develop an intriguing ball club, with key members of their core coming from trading Soto back in 2022. Now, they need to spend some money and bring in some big names. Washington’s first-base situation is a mess. They released Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell is a free agent, which leaves Andres Chaparro as the only option. Making a play for Alonso would state their intent that they are ready to strive toward competing for a top spot in the NL East.
