What's left for Pete Alonso's market?
Several suitors filled their vacancies at first base this weekend
What’s up with the Mets? 🍎
Former Met, all-time great and Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson passed away on Saturday at the age of 65 (story)
Rumor Mill 💨
The Blue Jays and Diamondbacks have expressed interest in Cardinals closer RHP Ryan Helsey (MLB.com)
The Cardinals recently turned down and never presented an offer from the Yankees for Marcus Stroman in exchange for 3B Nolan Arenado (MLB.com)
The Tigers are Guardians are expressing interest in trading for Cardinals starting pitchers, namely RHP Erick Fedde and LHP Steven Matz (MLB.com)
The Dodgers and Teoscar Hernández are at an impasse on a new deal (Athletic)
So, what’s left for Pete Alonso? ✍️
The last 48 hours or so have seen a fast-paced market for first basemen open and basically close around Pete Alonso.
The Yankees brought in Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year deal, the Guardians traded Josh Naylor to the Diamondbacks, who then turned around and signed Carlos Santana. The Astros signed Christian Walker to a three-year deal.
That’s four teams since Friday who have since filled their first base vacancies, leaving Alonso with a slim pickings of suitors to find in his free agency.
So, what’s left for Alonso on the market?
Not so much, but here’s what I think:
Mariners
The Mariners need offense. They ranked 22nd in MLB with a .687 team OPS, their .224 team average was 29th, and their 671 runs scored were 21st best. None of their first basemen hit more than nine home runs in 2024 (although Ty France ultimately hit 13 after he was traded to the Reds and Justin Turner hit six with the Blue Jays before Seattle acquired him, after which he hit five).
So yeah, the Mariners could use a big bat.
But is Alonso really going to go spend what will probably be the rest of his career in one of the worst ballparks in baseball to hit in, 3000 miles from his home in Tampa? And, is Seattle’s GM Jerry DiPoto inclined to sign Alonso, who usually builds the core of his rosters through trades? There hasn’t been any sort of link between the two, either.
Having said that, DiPoto can surprise at times with his roster moves and if he’s willing to blow Alonso away on an offer, anything is possible.
Red Sox
Right now, there really isn’t an opening for Alonso in Boston, with Triston Casas installed at the position. The only way I can see Boston emerging as a suitor is if they trade Casas, which is possible since they’re still seeking starting pitching and they may have to trade a big league player in order to get one, such as Luis Castillo from the Mariners who are apparently looking for major league players in return in a potential trade.
But, that’s a lot of moving parts with a ton of IF’s wrapped around it. Alonso is a good fit for Boston in that ballpark, but is Scott Boras willing to wait and hope that happens with such few suitors for Alonso?
Angels
The Angels are unlikely to contend in 2025 or in the near term for that matter, but their owner often times comes out of hiding and makes a perplexing signing. So, I always assume they’re waiting in the shadows in free agency.
I don’t view the Angels as a likely landing spot at all, and they’re probably looking to develop Nolan Schanuel who actually gave them a nice year at first base in 2024 as well.
But again, they’re the Angels and they can be whacky.
But then there’s the signability issue they have, as they’re not exactly baseball’s great free agent attraction these days. Money always talks and as is the case with the Mariners, a big overpay might attract Alonso, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
Padres
Jake Cronenworth, Donovan Solano, and Luis Arraez were the primary first basemen in San Diego last year, and outside of Arraez, they didn’t get a lot of production from the position.
So, in theory, San Diego could use an upgrade there. But there are a couple of problems with this potential suitor.
First, they appear to be attempting to shed payroll. They’re shopping a lot of their players, going as far as reportedly dangling Xander Bogaerts in trade talks. So, is San Diego really looking to sign another big free agent if that’s the case?
Second, let’s just say all things are equal in San Diego, and they were buying in this market. If they sign Alonso, they’d most certainly have to move one of Bogaerts, Arraez, or Cronenworth as that would create a logjam around their infield, which is plausible in this fantasy world where they would be buyers.
So, no, this probably isn’t realistic in any scenario.
Giants
The Giants aren’t a fit for so many reasons, especially for right-handed hitting power hitters.
They did bring in Willy Adames on a long-term deal, but he’s tied to draft compensation. They’re reportedly a frontrunner for RHP Corbin Burnes, and if they can get that done, he’s tied to draft compensation as well.
Would the Giants sign Alonso too, who would be a third free agent tied to draft compensation for them?
They have a need for sure at first base, and they’ve been rumored to be considering a trade for Lamont Wade Jr., and it’s a great part of the country to play baseball in, but between all of that and the ballpark, which is incredibly difficult to hit in, this just seems like a very unlikely outcome for Alonso.
Cubs
The Cubs have been long rumored to have interest in Alonso. They were apparently interested in trading for him over the last couple of years, and they’ve created more of an opportunity for him at first base now that Cody Bellinger is a Yankee.
They have Michael Busch currently installed as their primary first baseman right now. He’s pre-arb, meaning he’s earning the league minimum of $775,000. He also produced a similar fWAR to Alonso in 2024 as well, 2.3 to Alonso’s 2.1, and was generally league average at first base.
They could conceivably move Busch to third base, as it’s wide open right now thanks to the departures of Isaac Paredes and Christopher Morel over the last six months.
But it remains to be seen if Chicago is willing to do any of that, not to mention dive headfirst into the deep end of free agency right now.
Conclusion
Unless I am missing someone, there’s nowhere else to turn.
After what has transpired over the last 48 hours, it’s hard to see Alonso landing anywhere but the Mets now. He could try and hold out for one of these aforementioned clubs to make a play, but there’s a narrow path for any of these suitors to emerge as a legitimate player for his services.
Now, that doesn’t mean Alonso is going to make a decision right now. I think it would be in everyone’s best interest to not let this situation linger, but it’s not as if the Mets have a lot of options to consider for first base themselves unless they choose to sign Alex Bregman and move Mark Vientos to first base, which would really leave Alonso out in the cold.
But, I don’t think the Mets would consider doing that unless they knew they couldn’t sign Alonso, or Alonso was intent on going elsewhere. There’s no evidence either is the case at this point in time.
The Mets have played their side of Alonso’s free agency perfectly. They have allowed him to shop his services and see how other teams value him, and it’s clear those other teams either found his price point (plus the draft compensation he is tied to, by the way) not to their liking, and those other potential suitors have since pursued and procured other options. They haven’t bid against themselves in this process either, which positions them to eventually sign Alonso to a fair market deal, which is shaping up to be in the $23-25 million per year range over 4-5 years right now.
We will see how this all eventually transpires of course.
Around the League 🚩
The Yankees are signing 1B Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year, $12.5 million contract (YES Network)
The Diamondbacks and Guardians made a trade that sent 1b Josh Naylor to Arizona in exchange for RHP Slade Cecconi and a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick (New York Post)
After trading Naylor, the Guardians agreed to sign 1B Carlos Santana to a one-year, $12 million contract (ESPN)
The Tigers signed LHP Matt Gage to a minor league deal and invited him to major league spring training (Detroit Free Press)
The Red Sox traded LHP Cam Booser to the White Sox in exchange for RHP Yhoiker Fajardo.
John Seidler - the brother of late owner Peter Seidler - is taking over control of the Padres (SD Tribune)
I do want Pete back but at the shortest term that’s realistic. How about 4 for $100m? I’d rather Pete on a contract like that than Bregman for 6-7 years
I bet Pete wishes he was a starting pitcher now.