San Francisco Giants Named Worst Possible Landing Spot for Pete Alonso

Would Pete Alonso signing with the San Francisco Giants be a mistake?

Oct 9, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in game four of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants are heading into the offseason looking to try and find ways to improve in a big way to compete in the National League West. 

In 2024, it was another mediocre year for the Giants, as they hovered around the .500 mark for much of the campaign and missed the playoffs for the third straight year. 

This offseason, San Francisco is hoping to be a factor in free agency for some of the stars that will be available. The Giants are in need of adding some starpower and power hitters in free agency to help strengthen a lineup that was lacking in both. 

While there are a lot of good players set to be available, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report named San Francisco as the worst possible destination for New York Mets first baseman, Pete Alonso. 

“The Giants need offensive firepower, have a relatively clear path to playing time at first base and have consistently shown a willingness to go after the biggest names on the free-agent market in recent years. Oracle Park was the worst place in baseball for hitting home runs last season, according to Baseball Savant. So much of Alonso's value comes from his over-the-fence production, it doesn't look like a logical fit on paper.”

While the fit on paper makes sense for the Giants to want to pursue Alonso, he might not be the player that would be able to live up to what should be a massive contract. Oracle Park is not an easy place to hit home runs, and 81 games there would certainly result in a drop in power numbers for Alonso. 

Even though Alonso is a very good player, taking away some of his power would impact his ability to really help the team. 

This season, the slugger totaled a .240 batting average, 34 home runs and 88 RBIs. While it can be considered a down season for the big right-hander, he would have been a massive upgrade to the Giants’ lineup with those numbers. 

While Alonso is a power hitter and a star, he might not be the answer that San Francisco is looking for. If some of that excellent power that he possesses doesn’t translate to playing in a big ballpark in California, when the weather turns cold and turns into a pitchers' paradise, it could result in the organization being disappointed in a large investment. 

Considering the Giants have been trying to lure a star for a few years now, expect to see interest in Alonso. However, it might not be the best fit for either party.