The New York Mets' season ended in embarrassing disappointment, but what transpired wasn't everyone's fault. Pete Alonso, for example, had an outstanding year, a strong month of September, and even recorded the hardest-hit ball by a Met this season in their Game 162 defeat. In fact, an argument can be made that the most frustrating thing Alonso did this season in the eyes of Mets fans was say he was going to opt out of his contract and test free agency this winter. Yes, it was obvious, but he said this publicly, not even an hour after their season ended.
Alonso enters free agency for a second straight offseason but under very different circumstances. He will be coming off a much better year, he will not have the qualifying offer attached, and he will know what to expect on the open market.
Mets fans would love to have him back, but given the fact that he's likely to have a better market this time around, it's no sure thing that he'll be playing his home games in Queens in 2026. In fact, after hearing what David Stearns had to say about emphasizing run prevention in his end-of-season presser, it sounds like it'll be a while before the Mets express real interest in re-signing the slugger, if they do so at all.
If the Mets don't prioritize re-signing Alonso, the first baseman could realistically end up with any of these four teams.
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Mets should face fierce competition in Pete Alonso sweepstakes
4) Philadelphia Phillies
This would be the worst-case scenario for Mets fans. It can be argued whether New York should prioritize re-signing Alonso or not, but seeing him end up in Philadelphia would be less than ideal. The worst part about this possibility is that it's pretty realistic.
Yes, the Philadelphia Phillies have Bryce Harper at first base and will likely re-sign Kyle Schwarber to be their designated hitter, but Harper has been vocal about his willingness to return to the outfield, and that would create room for Alonso to slot in at first base.
The Phillies haven't spared many expenses in their pursuit of winning a World Series title, and there's a good chance they'll be aggressive this offseason, whether they win it all or not. Schwarber hit 56 home runs, but only two Phillies hit more than 18 long balls. They could use an influx of power, and that's what Alonso brings. Adding him to improve their club while also irritating Mets fans would be quite the outcome.
3) Boston Red Sox
First base has been a position of weakness for the Boston Red Sox virtually all season long. Sure, Triston Casas did suffer a season-ending injury, but he didn't look great when he played, and he has yet to put together a full, strong season. Nathaniel Lowe has been an adequate replacement, particularly against right-handed pitching, but he's no Pete Alonso.
Boston's priority this offseason will be re-signing a different Scott Boras client, Alex Bregman, but whether Bregman re-signs or not, Alonso should be a priority for Boston. First base is far from set in stone with Casas or Lowe, they should have plenty of money to spend, particularly after trading Rafael Devers, and they could also use another big right-handed bat.
As of now, with Bregman likely to test free agency, Trevor Story is the only formidable right-handed bat in that lineup. Even assuming they bring Bregman back, they could use another bopper from the right side, and Alonso, in that ballpark, would be a great fit.
2) Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers led the majors with a 3.49 ERA, yet somehow missed the playoffs. The reason for that has everything to do with their offense. Texas ranked 22nd in the majors in runs scored and 18th in home runs. Yes, some of that did have to do with injuries, but virtually everyone not named Wyatt Langford or Corey Seager had underwhelming years.
The Rangers are going to need to bolster their offense if they want to get back to the postseason in 2025, and it's not as if they have a permanent fixture at first base. Both Jake Burger and Rowdy Tellez are extremely replaceable.
The one holdup here could be the money, as Texas has refrained from major expenditures in the last couple of years, but they have a good amount of money coming off their books, allowing them to splurge on a bat. Let's see if they're willing to do it.
1) Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners won the AL West thanks largely to Josh Naylor's contributions at first base, but there's a chance his Mariners tenure will be short-lived, as he's set to hit free agency at the end of the year. I will say the Mariners should prioritize re-signing Naylor over Alonso, but if that goes awry, why not go after the Polar Bear?
Naylor is a better defender and contact hitter, but Alonso is a tier or two above Naylor in the power department and as a run producer. Can you imagine pairing his power bat with guys like Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena? Seattle ranked third in the majors in round-trippers this season and could be even more formidable in the power department with Alonso.
Again, I think Naylor has been such a good fit in Seattle to the point where he should be their No. 1 priority over Alonso, but having Alonso as a fallback would make a lot of sense for a Seattle team that should be competitive in 2026 and beyond.