MLB Rumors: Red Sox Had This Concern About Pete Alonso

Pete Alonso and the Red Sox seemed like a perfect match, but Boston reportedly had a concern when it came to the veteran slugger.

It allowed the Baltimore Orioles to swoop in and land Alonso on a five-year, $155 million deal. The Red Sox reportedly offered a lesser deal in both term and money while the incumbent New York Mets reportedly did not make an offer to Alonso.

The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey reported on the team’s chief concern.

“The Red Sox were wary, however, because of Alonso’s age, sources said,” Healey wrote in a story published Wednesday night. “He just turned 31. His new contract will take him through his age-35 season.”

When speaking to reporters prior to departing the MLB Winter Meetings, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow didn’t specifically speak to the reported age concern. Breslow summed it up by stating, “These things don’t always line up.”

The Red Sox have a young nucleus headlined by Garrett Crochet, Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and others. However, Boston reached the postseason in 2025 in large part because soon-to-be 32-year-old Alex Bregman, an MLB All-Star and clubhouse leader.

Bregman, a top free agent after Kyle Schwarber and Alonso signed elsewhere, reportedly is atop Boston’s priority list.