MLB Rumors: Red Sox-Mets’ Pete Alonso Talks Threatened By ‘Desperate’ Team

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and for the Boston Red Sox, that could mean watching New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso remain in the National League.

“Alonso’s willingness to play designated hitter offers the sorts of avenues a first-base-only mindset wouldn’t,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports. “He could stay with the Mets, move up to Boston, bring Cincinnati the big bat it desperately needs or, if Ryan Mountcastle is traded or nontendered, split the first-base and DH jobs in Baltimore with rookie Samuel Basallo, who will also spend plenty of time at catcher.”

The Big Three

Passan also notes Alonso is one of three big-time bats on the open market who are represented by uber agent Scott Boras. The others are Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman and New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger.

“Alongside (Kyle) Tucker, (Kyle) Schwarber and (Bo) Bichette, they make up the best half-dozen position players in free agency, and their varied skill sets are attracting a wide variety of interest,” Passan adds.

“For all three, the expectation of a big-dollar deal is high. How quickly those materialize will help shape the winter ahead,” Passan concludes.

Market Analysis

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand lists five potential suitors for Alonso: the Red Sox, Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals.

Another thing which could impact Alonso’s market is the five-year, $92.5 million contract first baseman Josh Naylor signed this week with the Seattle Mariners. Unless it doesn’t.

“Alonso and Bellinger are expected to land bigger deals than Naylor, so aside from taking the Mariners out of the market for a first baseman, Naylor’s signing shouldn’t have a major impact on either of them,” Feinsand reports.

Alonso was a free agent last winter and didn’t find a multi-year, nine-figure contract to his liking so he returned to the Mets, who gave him a two-year, $54 million deal with an opt-out clause.

The two-time Home Run Derby champion said after the regular season ended he would opt out of his contract and return to the open market.

The 30-year-old Alonso hit 38 home runs this season, which was eighth-best in the majors, and drove in 126 runs, second only to Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.

Alonso, a home-grown Mets star, spent seven seasons in Queens. This year he became the franchise’s all-time home run leader, surpassing eight-time All-Star Darryl Strawberry.