The Boston Red Sox desperately need right-handed power in their lineup and need a prime-time first baseman. Pete Alonso of the New York Mets would fill both requirements in remarkable fashion.
Even if the Red Sox are able to retain third baseman Alex Bregman, who has also opted for free agency, they need to bring Alonso into the fold. Bregman is a great player and he loves playing at Fenway Park. But he does not have the home run power that Alonso has every time he steps to the plate.
It's hard to imagine a better place for Alonso to continue his career than Fenway Park. The short leftfield dimensions beckons, and Alonso's high drives would likely fly over the Green Monster with regularity. In reality, Alonso is a dangerous hitter with power to all fields, but he would certainly use the inviting distance to his pull side with quite a bit of regularity.
Alonso had a magnificent year in 2025 as he blasted 38 home runs, a figure that ranked fourth in the National League. He also hammered 41 doubles and that tied for first in the senior circuit. His 126 runs batted in was the second-best total in the NL, while his .524 slugging percentage ranked fifth. He also dominated in total bases, ranking third in the NL with 327.
Red Sox had a huge hole at first base in 2025
Red Sox manager Alex Cora has to be looking at Alonso and drooling. The Red Sox went with a mix of players at first base due to the injury to Triston Casas. The Red Sox had high hopes that the left-handed hitting Casas would hit 35-40 home runs and become a key run producer.
However, Casas saw his season come to an end in May when he tore his Achilles. Prior to the injury, he had been brutal for the Red Sox. He was a poor fielder, he struggled at the plate and he rarely showed the kind of power that the Red Sox had expected. Additionally, on a team filled with excellent athletes — Jarren Duran, Trevor Story and Ceddanne Rafaela — Story's inability in that area made him stand out in a negative manner. He slashed .182/.277/.303 with 3 home runs and 11 runs batted in during his 29-game season.
In addition to his injury and poor showing in 2025, Casas had suffered through an injury-plagued 2024 season. He played in just 63 games in 2024 due to a rib injury, and he hit .241 with 13 homers and 32 RBI in 63 games. It would be difficult for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to feel confident that Casas will get the job done as the team's first baseman in 2026.
After the Casas injury, the Red Sox were forced to go with Abraham Toro, Nathaniel Lowe and Romy Gonzalez at first base. Gonzalez is a solid utility player and he is a key contributor, but he is not an everyday first baseman. The Red Sox clearly need to fill the hole at first base.
Competition for Alonso couldbe dramatic
The Mets are not going to let Alonso go without a fight. No team has been more willing to spend money on free agent than the Mets. They are likely to make a substantial offer for him.
So will their New York City rivals. The Yankees would love to have Alonso for legitimate baseball reasons, and they would also like to gain revenge on the Mets for signing Juan Soto away last year.
Some of the other possible contenders include the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Cincinnati Red and the San Francisco Giants. Additionally, the San Diego Padres and the Washington Nationals could get into the battle for his services. The Diamondbacks, Reds and Giants all have prospects in their systems that would not be in anything close to the Alonso price range. The Padres and Nationals appear to be longshots as well.
Alonso signed a one-year, $30.1 million contract last season. It's clear that he wants a multi-year deal, and it seems likely that he needs a five-year deal to put his signature on a contract. There's little reason to think that the average annual value would be less than the amount that he received last year.
Alonso may or may not want to remain with the Mets. However, the Red Sox can't take a chance that Alonso is angry at the Mets organization and wants to go elsewhere. Alonso is represented by agent Scott Boras and he is not likely to settle for anything less than five years and $150 million. The Red Sox must exceed that if they are going to sign the star first baseman.
Look for the Red Sox to exceed the Mets offer by $2 million per year as they attempt to sign him to a five-year, $160 million deal.
