New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso has positioned himself to cash in this offseason, and the Boston Red Sox should be among the teams willing to break out the big bucks.
Alonso entered play on Sept. 11 batting .269 with 33 homers, 113 RBIs, a league-high 37 doubles, and a .860 OPS. He’s provided the fading Mets with 3.0 bWAR and cut his strikeout rate from 24.7% to 22.4%, slightly below his career 22.7% norm.
As much sense as Alonso makes for the Red Sox, we’re sure that he checks the boxes for plenty of other teams, too. The Red Sox cannot put all their eggs in an Alonso-sized basket, especially given their need for a steady first base presence. Triston Casas has likely lost that opportunity following a gruesome knee injury earlier this year, one that followed a prolonged rib-related absence last season.
So, who might the Red Sox pursue to play first base if the answer isn’t Alonso? For this list, we’re focusing solely on potential free agents. We’ve omitted trade targets and are trying to keep things realistic. So, no, you’re not going to us suggest that the Red Sox sign Kyle Tucker and move him to first.
Eugenio Suárez, Seattle Mariners
Eugenio Suárez destroys a hanging slider to give the @Mariners some cushion 💥 pic.twitter.com/BeAteFRADt
— MLB (@MLB) September 7, 2025
We promise that we’re not cheating by including Suárez, who has primarily played third base since 2016. Suárez saw his first career action at first base this year, suiting up once for the Diamondbacks and, as of publication, twice for the Mariners. It’s certainly not unrealistic that the Red Sox would consider moving a 34-year-old Suárez to first base, and we feel that it’s worth contemplating.
Perhaps the most appealing part for the Red Sox is that Suárez might come cheaper than one would have guessed two months ago. Suárez owns a .191 average and a .699 OPS over 151 plate appearances with the Mariners, far below the .248 average and .897 OPS he provided the Diamondbacks with in nearly 450 plate appearances. If Suárez needs to settle for a one-year, prove-it deal, he should strongly seek such a contract with the Red Sox.
We know that Suárez still has the pop, and he still has an outside chance at his first 50-home run season. It’s fun to imagine what he can do playing 81 games with the Green Monster in left field.
Josh Bell, Washington Nationals
Josh Bell puts the @Nationals on top with a 3-run homer in the top of the 9th 🤯 pic.twitter.com/lBgpTvVcHT
— MLB (@MLB) September 7, 2025
Bell is your prototypical veteran slugger who could earn something along the lines of a one-year, $12 million contract in free agency. Although Bell doesn’t hit for average anymore, he’s mashed 20 home runs with an above-average .735 OPS for the last-place Nationals. Perhaps most impressively, Bell has cut his strikeout percentage all the way down to 16.0%, and his 11.0% walk rate marks his highest since 2022.
If the Red Sox want a competent first baseman, Bell certainly qualifies. Not only has Bell remained incredibly durable — he’s on pace to play at least 140 games for the eighth straight season (not counting the 2020 COVID year, when he still played 57 of 60 games) — but he’s drawn widespread acclaim for his leadership.
“What I love about Josh, he does the baseball stuff on the field, hitting,” former Nationals manager Dave Martinez said during spring training. “But what he does in the clubhouse means a lot.”
With how many young players they’ve called up this season alone, the Red Sox should definitely want Bell around next year.
Kazuma Okamoto, Yomiuri Giants (Japan)
NPB Home Run Leaders since 2019
— Kick Dirt Baseball (@KickDirtBB) September 4, 2025
1. Munetaka Murakami 237
2. Kazuma Okamoto 210
Both may be posted this winter. Okamoto lacks Mune’s 80-Grade power and is 4-years older, but his contact rates and plate discipline could make for an easier transition.
pic.twitter.com/vQoUC7B8Sm
This isn’t the first time that we’ve suggested the Red Sox pursue the 29-year-old Okamoto if he’s available, and it probably won’t be the last time. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported last week that Okamoto is one of several high-profile Japanese players who hope to play in MLB next year, assuming that the Giants make him available via the posting system.
Although Okamoto could theoretically play third base if Alex Bregman departs, we’re putting him at first base for the sake of conversation. Okamoto, who has split much of 2025 between first and third base, owns a .312 average, 11 home runs, and a .943 OPS over 226 plate appearances for the Giants. His 381 on-base percentage marks the fourth time in five years he’ll have at least a .360 OBP, which definitely makes him an attractive option for the Red Sox.
The Red Sox are no strangers to adding accomplished Japanese stars, with Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima helping Boston win the 2007 World Series as rookies. Can Okamoto do the same if he joins the Red Sox for 2026?