The ripple effects of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s massive 14-year, $500 million extension with the Toronto Blue Jays continues to be felt around Major League Baseball. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal speculated on Tuesday that it could even reset the market for first basemen — namely, Pete Alonso.

“This kind of, in my mind, re-establishes first basemen as valuable in a different way,” Rosenthal said in an appearance on Foul Territory. “A lot of this has to do with [Guerrero's] age. A lot of his appeal has to do with his age, aside from of course his fantastic hitting ability, his ability to control the zone, all of that.”

Alonso re-signed with the New York Mets after a lengthy free agency last winter. He will make $30 million in 2025 and has a player option for 2026 worth $24 million. If he chooses to hit the open market, Rosenthal is curious what will happen next.

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“I don’t know that much is going to change for Pete Alonso, but at the same time, the mere fact that this number was put up there for a first baseman, maybe we can stop acting like these guys all have cooties,” he said.

Rosenthal isn't saying Alonso could look forward to a contract similar to what Guerrero signed. Alonso is five years older and has not performed nearly to Guerrero's level. But he's still a highly coveted three-time All-Star who can mash.

He's off to a strong start in 2025 as well. Through 10 games, he's hitting .310 with three home runs, three doubles and a 1.086 OPS. It's an encouraging sign after he had a down year (by his standards) in 2024. Though he hit for a higher average than the year before (.240 vs. .217), he hit 12 fewer home runs and struck out more. His .788 OPS in 2024 was a career low.

Nevertheless, the Mets know Alonso's value and he will make more money this offseason as long as he stays healthy. Guerrero may have even given him a pay bump.