Why Pete Alonso is Unlikely to Land With This Top Free Agency Suitor

Former New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso might have just lost a key free agency suitor.
Sep 19, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA;  New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) strikes out in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Sep 19, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) strikes out in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Former New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso is arguably the most sought-after player still available in this MLB offseason's free agency class.

The Mets still seem to be among the teams most likely to sign Alonso this winter, which Jon Heyman of the New York Post conveyed in a December 26 article by writing, "The Mets still make the most sense [for Alonso] even though a gap exists now."

This "gap" Heyman alluded to is the difference in desires the Mets and Alonso's team have when it comes to how much the 30-year-old will make. So while New York might still "make sense" for the Polar Bear, other teams could quickly become the favorites if they offer more than the Mets.

One team that has been linked to Alonso is the Boston Red Sox. However, a telling update from Gabrielle Starr of The Boston Herald on X December 30 shows that the Red Sox may be out of the Alonso sweepstakes entirely.

Starr posted on X Monday, "[Red Sox GM] Craig Breslow on Triston Casas trade rumors:

“'We’re not shopping Triston.'"

Casas is the Red Sox's 24-year-old first baseman who appears to have an extremely bright MLB future. Despite this, there were reports that Boston was willing to trade him earlier in the offseason, which would have opened the door for them to sign Alonso.

But if Casas — who has only ever played first base in MLB — is going to remain in Boston, Alonso would likely need to become a DH if the Red Sox still wanted to sign him.

Regardless, Breslow's commitment to Casas makes the Red Sox appear to be much less likely of a destination for Alonso than they were before this comment.


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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.