New York Yankees Have Discussed Pete Alonso with Scott Boras

Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters Tuesday that he has spoken with Scott Boras about Mets' free agent Pete Alonso.

Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) reacts after the Mets defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the NLCS during the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees and New York Mets will be in a fierce battle this offseason for free agent outfielder Juan Soto, but it seems Soto may not be the only Scott Boras client that the two cross-town rivals are vying for.

On Tuesday afternoon, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters at GM meetings that he had spoken with Boras about several of his clients, including longtime Mets slugger Pete Alonso.

“There’s a lot of high-quality players in this marketplace, and certainly Pete did an amazing job with the Mets,” Cashman said when asked if Alonso had come up in their discussion. “Had a brief conversation with Scott about a lot of his—he has a lot of free agents, which is normal, and Pete’s one of them, so yes.”

Brian Cashman and the Yankees have had conversations with Scott Boras about Pete Alonso pic.twitter.com/gw1WS4hlw4

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) November 5, 2024

Alonso, set to enter his age-30 season in 2025, is just 27 home runs shy of becoming the Mets’ all-time leader. The two-time Home Run Derby champion and four-time All-Star had a somewhat down season by his standards, though he still played all 162 regular season games in 2024, hitting .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs and 88 RBIs. He also impressed in the postseason, hitting .273/.431/.568 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in 13 games.

Despite his strong October performance, Alonso's regular-season numbers will likely influence his free-agent negotiations. His OPS has declined in recent years—from .869 in 2022 to .821 in 2023 to a career-low .788 in 2024—raising questions about how many prime years he has left. He also offers little-to-no base running or defensive value, ranking toward the bottom of the league in both BsR and Outs Above Average.

The Yankees recently declined Anthony Rizzo’s $17 million option for 2025, paying a $6 million buyout to let the 35-year-old first baseman hit free agency. As it stands, their first base depth includes utility man Oswaldo Cabrera and Ben Rice, who struggled with a .171/.264/.349 line and hit seven home runs in 50 games as a rookie. 

Given the team's ambition to maximize its World Series window—having just lost in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Fall Classic—pursuing an upgrade at first base seems like a logical step. 

On Oct. 23, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns expressed a desire to keep Alonso in Queens, but indicated they would allow him to test the market and negotiate with other teams. In an article published earlier Tuesday, ESPN insider Kiley McDaniel projected Alonso will land a deal in the range of six years and $159 million ($26.5 million AAV) when all is said and done.