Power ranking Pete Alonso's top free agent destinations amid Mets' collapse

As New York Mets fans watch their team’s playoff hopes evaporate, they may also be witnessing the end of Pete Alonso’s tenure in Queens.

Alonso’s two-year, $54 million contract allows him to opt out this offseason, and why wouldn’t he? The five-time All-Star remains one of baseball’s premier first basemen, entering Friday batting .267 with 33 home runs, 113 RBIs, a league-high 37 doubles, and an .854 OPS in nearly 650 plate appearances. Alonso has cut his strikeout rate down to 22.7%, his lowest since 2022, and his 3.0 bWAR remains solid, albeit notably below his 3.7 career average. 

Barring an injury down the stretch, we expect Alonso to have several high-profile suitors over the winter. But which teams stand the best chance at landing Alonso and convincing him to escape the inconsistent Mets?

For this list, we’re trying to keep things realistic when evaluating a team’s needs and willingness to spend. Pirates fans might love the thought of Alonso and Paul Skenes on the same team, but do you truly believe the Pirates will break out the big bucks? Fit significantly matters here, and it’s hard to imagine Alonso picking the lowly Colorado Rockies over, say, the Boston Red Sox. 

3. Philadelphia Phillies

Considering Bryce Harper’s presence at first base, the Phillies might seem like an odd option, but what happens if Kyle Schwarber doesn’t return to Philadelphia? Not only is the combination of Alonso and Harper frightening to imagine, but one could easily slot into a full-time designated hitter role. Alternatively, the Phillies could theoretically alternate the two, much like the Yankees do with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

Interestingly, Alonso hasn’t raked at Citizens Bank Park the way you’d expect, only hitting .242 with 11 home runs, 31 RBIs, and a .771 OPS over 234 at-bats in Philadelphia. By no means is that terrible, but it’s worth noting Alonso has a .961 OPS at Nationals Park and a .952 OPS at Marlins Park.

We have to feel for Mets fans in this situation. It’s bad enough that their summer collapse cost them a chance to beat out the Phillies for the NL East, but the thought of Alonso suiting up for the Phillies might be too much to handle.

2. Boston Red Sox

Alonso made sense for the Red Sox last offseason, and we still think Boston must pursue him this winter. Triston Casas’ days as Boston’s starting first baseman appeared numbered before his severe knee injury, so there’s an urgent need at the position. Assuming that the Red Sox intend to compete in 2026 rather than enter a transitional period with their various top prospects, Alonso checks every box that top executive Craig Breslow should have.

The question, though, is whether the Red Sox want to pay Alonso and Alex Bregman. Yes, the Red Sox could have both All-Star sluggers, but we get the sense they’d only choose one. Bregman makes more sense in that scenario, especially considering how frequently manager Alex Cora and teammates have raved about his presence on and off the field. There is also no reason at this point to believe that Bregman definitely won’t think about re-signing with the Red Sox.

If you were the Red Sox, would you rather re-sign Bregman or add Alonso? Let us know in the comments section.

1. Texas Rangers

The Rangers already stole Jacob deGrom away from the Mets, so why not double up and bring Alonso to Texas? To their credit, the Rangers have embraced spending and competing in recent years, a significant reason why they won the 2023 World Series. Plenty of teams elsewhere in the league — and we’re not just talking about the usual candidates like the Pirates, Marlins, and Rays — could afford (pun only partly intended) to learn from Texas.

Jake Burger hasn’t been awful for the Rangers, hitting 16 home runs with a .729 OPS in nearly 350 plate appearances. He’s also set to turn 30 next spring, and his 23.6% strikeout percentage is concerning given his 4.7% walk rate. Burger isn’t the Rangers’ first baseman of the future, and we prefer Alonso as a long-term option over Abimelec Ortiz (No. 18 on MLB’s top-30 Rangers prospects), who has 24 homers, an .831 OPS, and a 117-60 K-BB ratio across 120 games between Double-A and Triple-A.

Alonso and deGrom reunited? That sounds good to us, and it’s an idea the Rangers must strongly weigh making a reality. 

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