MLB’s offseason has officially arrived, and the Boston Red Sox could look to make a splash after making their first postseason appearance since 2021, but falling to the New York Yankees in a three-game American League Wild Card series.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, rival executives are prepared to witness the Red Sox acquire longtime New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso in free agency.
“David Stearns, Mets president of baseball operations, was ready to let Alonso walk last year. Alonso had a monster year but they still missed the playoffs, making it easier to walk away now,” Nightingale wrote. “They are preaching defense or in the words of Stearns, “run prevention,” and are expected to let him depart unless he signs a deal they can’t turn down. GMs are predicting the perfect landing spot for Alonso must may be the Red Sox.”
Alonso bashed 38 home runs, collected 138 RBIs, and posted an .871 OPS across 162 games last season. According to Baseball Savant, the 30-year-old ranked in the 96th percentile in Batting Run Value and the 98th percentile in Barrel percentage.
Alonso would provide an instant jolt to a Red Sox group that was below league average in terms of home runs last season.
It is worth mentioning that Alonso has spent his entire career with New York and that Stearns has publicly kept the door open to a reunion.
“Pete is a great Met. He had a fantastic year,” Stearns told SNY after the Mets’ season concluded. “I said this last year and it worked out – I’d love to have Pete back and we’ll see where the offseason goes.”
Despite this, multiple reports have indicated that the Mets are not likely to seriously pursue Alonso. It remains to be seen if the Red Sox will make him a priority this winter.
