Washington Nationals Projected to Win Pete Alonso Free Agency Sweepstakes
Coming into the MLB offseason, the Washington Nationals were viewed as a team to watch in free agency. Many have expected them to swing big as they look to get back into postseason contention.
So far, the Nationals have been relatively quiet. That could change in the near future.
Following the news that Juan Soto has agreed to a monstrous deal with the New York Mets, the market could begin to move very quickly. Washington might end up being a big winner of the Soto deal.
How would the Nationals end up benefitting from their NL East division rival landing Soto? Quite simply, they might be able to swoop in and steal another star away from the Mets.
Pete Alonso is a free agent and is looking for a home. With the money that New York gave to Soto, they may not have the budget to give him what he's looking to get.
Washington happens to have a need for more power in its lineup and the money to spend to convince him to sign.
R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports has predicted that the Nationals will end up winning the Alonso sweepstakes. It's a move that would greatly excite the Washington fan base.
"Alonso is a difficult free agent to place. We noted heading into the winter that the market tends to be unkind to his profile (that being a right-handed hitting and right-handed fielding first baseman), and there's been no reason to pivot off that stance. The Nats should be in the market for pieces that can buttress their young core, and the uncertainty around Alonso's market could drive him into a price they're comfortable with."
At 30 years old, Alonso should still be a high impact player for at least another four or five years. He did post his lowest slugging percentage of his career in 2024, but there is belief that he could bounce back strong in 2025.
Speaking of his 2024 season, Alonso ended up playing in 162 games. He hit 34 home runs, drove in 88 RBI, and slashed .240/.329/.459. While that was the fewest home runs he's hit for in a full season, it's 14 more than the Nationals' home run leader last season, shortstop C.J. Abrams.
One of the biggest issues for Washington in recent years has been their lack of offensive firepower. Bringing Alonso in would help fix that issue.
Alonso would bring a lot of pop and would put the Nationals back on the map from a star power perspective.
This is just an opinion, but it's one that makes sense. Hopefully, the team can get something done with Alonso and bring him aboard.
