Pete Alonso trails only Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber with 264 home runs since making his MLB debut in 2019. He's established himself as one of MLB's premier sluggers. Despite that, the odds of Alonso getting his lavish demands met feel rather slim. The reason for that is that he's a soon-to-be 31-year-old first baseman who is one of the worst defenders at his position.
Alonso hits a ton of home runs and is extremely durable, but those things are only so valuable when he's such a subpar defender. Well, Alonso might've just raised his value with the news that he'd be open to serving as the DH more in 2026 for a winning team. Alonso was a DH just twice in 2025, so this would be a major adjustment, and it should get these five potential suitors even more interested in his services.
Scott Boras indicated that Pete Alonso indeed is amenable to DHing some starting in 2026, particularly in the right situation/for a winning team.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) November 12, 2025
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Pete Alonso longshot suitors
Baltimore Orioles
The odds of the Baltimore Orioles spending a substantial amount of money on Alonso when they desperately need pitching and could probably use a veteran outfielder are probably slim, but they do make some sense for Alonso, especially if he's willing to DH more.
The Orioles can start Adley Rutschman a majority of the time behind the plate and use shuffle Alonso and Samuel Basallo back and forth from first base to DH. Alonso has hit well at Camden Yards in his career (5 HR, 1.039 OPS in 43 PA) and he'd give this lineup a premier slugger it certainly could use.
Again, they probably prioritize pitching, but Alonso makes more sense than you might think, especially with his willingness to DH. The time is now for Mike Elias to do whatever he can to get the O's back to the playoffs.
Seattle Mariners
Will the Seattle Mariners spend what it takes to sign Alonso? I'm not so sure, especially since they can re-sign Josh Naylor, a player who fit in beautifully with them, for less money, but Alonso would be a nice fit. Not only could he be a Naylor replacement at first base, but if the Mariners decide they'd rather play a guy like Luke Raley for better defense sometimes at that position, they have an opening at DH for Alonso to fill.
The Mariners play in the most pitcher-friendly park in the majors, but can have three major power threats in Alonso, Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez in their lineup every night. Having those guys hit second, third and fourth in the order would be nightmare fuel for any team in the AL.
If they're willing to spend a little more than accustomed, which isn't out of the question, Alonso can very well find his way in Seattle.
Underrated Pete Alonso sleeper team
Philadelphia Phillies
Turn away, Mets fans. If Pete Alonso is willing to DH, their bitter rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, make a whole lot of sense as a potential landing spot. Bryce Harper has established himself as a Gold Glove-caliber first baseman, but with Kyle Schwarber hitting free agency alongside Alonso, the DH spot is wide open.
Bringing Schwarber back is obviously the Phillies' top priority, and there's no reason to believe that won't happen. However, if Schwarber were to depart, Alonso would be quite the backup plan. The fact that he can play first base, even if he isn't a good defender there, could allow the Phillies to use Harper at DH more, potentially keeping him fresher as he continues to age.
Since Alonso would likely come at a cheaper AAV than Schwarber, signing him could allow the Phillies to make an extra addition, too.
Favorites to sign Pete Alonso
New York Mets
Immediately after the New York Mets completed their collapse, David Stearns made it abundantly clear that the team would prioritize improving its run prevention this offseason. Not only does this mean improving the pitching staff, but it also means improving their team defense. First base defense might not be as important as other positions, but again, Alonso was one of the worst defenders at his position in 2025. Replacing him with a better defensive option would undoubtedly improve their run prevention.
If Alonso is willing to DH more, though, that might make him more appealing to Stearns. The Mets do not currently have a clear-cut DH on their roster, so the Mets could easily re-sign Alonso and find someone else to play some first base, too.
It might not be ideal to pay a DH as much money as Alonso will be commanding, but by using him at the position more, the Mets would improve their defense while also ensuring that his star-level bat isn't going anywhere. For all of his defensive flaws, Alonso is such an elite run producer.
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox were able to get back to the postseason in 2025, but were eliminated in the Wild Card Series. Roman Anthony's injury played a role, but Boston's offense, even with Anthony, wasn't good enough, primarily because they didn't hit for enough power. The Red Sox ranked 15th in the majors in home runs, and that was with nearly three months of Rafael Devers. Alonso, obviously, would help them exponentially with his bat.
His glove, though, could be what drives Boston away. The Red Sox ranked 27th in the majors with -21 OAA in their infield per Baseball Savant. Alonso would not improve their underwhelming defense at all. Being able to use him at DH, though, would allow them to add his elite bat (which happens to be a perfect fit for Fenway Park) while also being able to hide him in the field more often than they might've expected.
The Red Sox might've ended up pursuing Alonso even with his defense deficiencies because of how nicely his bat would fit, but the fact that he's amenable to DHing more than anyone might've expected makes him even more attractive to a team that should be all-in on getting back to the World Series.