Top Landing Spots For Free Agent Pete Alonso

MLB free agency is upon us, and that means some of baseball’s biggest names could be finding new homes in the near future.

One of the top players hitting the market this offseason is slugger Pete Alonso. The Polar Bear checks in at No. 7 on Just Baseball’s list of the top free agents in the 2024-25 class. Despite not having the season he was hoping for in 2024, there will be no shortage of suitors for Alonso this winter.

After spending his first six MLB seasons in Queens, the long-time New York Met will test the open waters for the first time in his career. We all know what Alonso brings to the table at this point: he’s one of the top home run threats in the entire sport, and he’s evolved into one of the most prolific run producers in all of baseball.

Capable of bringing an offense to new heights, there are a handful of teams that should be lining up to add Alonso to the heart of their lineup. Let’s break down the top landing spots for Alonso this offseason.

New York Mets

It’s difficult to envision Pete Alonso in anything but a New York Mets uniform. The four-time All-Star has spent his entire career in Queens to this point, and he has been the focal point of their offense since his MLB debut back in 2019.

Few players have hit for more power than Pete Alonso since he broke through for the Mets. On top of his .266 ISO and .514 slugging percentage, Alonso has the second-most homers in MLB with 226 dating back to the 2019 season, trailing only Aaron Judge (232). No hitter has more RBI over that stretch than Alonso (586) as well.

Over the course of his six-year career, he’s evolved into one of the most elite run producers in the entire sport, and he’s become one of the faces of the Mets due to his big-swing potential.

While the Mets will let Alonso test the open market as he gauges his value from other teams, a reunion with New York is still certainly on the table and would make plenty of sense for both parties.

Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals are trending in the right direction. After their second-consecutive 71-win season in 2024, they are establishing a young core and could have their eye on contention sooner rather than later.

They are in dire need of a sparkplug offensively, and Alonso has proven to be just that over the course of his career. Adding his high-octane bat into the heart of their lineup would go a long way in helping them get back to the postseason.

The Nationals’ offense was in the bottom-third in MLB in 2024, and their lack of production from the first base position was a major contributing factor to that. Washington’s first basemen ranked 25th in wRC+ (85) and 27th in wOBA (.290) and OPS (.658) this past season.

What’s more, first base is one of their biggest roster needs this offseason. Joey Meneses and Joey Gallo were the Nationals’ primary options there in 2024, combining for 573 plate appearances. Both players are now free agents, leaving Juan Yepez as the club’s top option at first for the time being.

Alonso would be a great complementary piece to the Nationals’ young roster, and he would provide a much-needed boost of power at a position of need for Washington.

New York Yankees

First and foremost, the New York Yankees‘ pursuit of Alonso will hinge upon their ability to retain Juan Soto. However, if they come up short in the Soto sweepstakes, Alonso could be the perfect pivot plan in order for the Yankees to keep some pop in the lineup.

No team in 2024 had worse production from first base than the Yankees. They were dead last in wRC+ (71), wOBA (.266), OPS (.594), and ISO (.106). Anthony Rizzo, the club’s top option from a season ago, is now a free agent. The Yankee’s internal options to fill the position consists of DJ LeMahieu and Ben Rice.

In 228 plate appearances in 2024, LeMahieu slashed .204/.269/.259 for an OPS below .530 and a wRC+ of 52. Likewise, Rice hit .171 with a .613 OPS and a 73 wRC+ in 178 plate appearances in 2024. If the Yankees wish to remain one of the top teams in the American League and defend their conference title, bolstering their first base situation should be high up on their priority list.

Alonso would be a great fit for a Yankees team that should be looking to lengthen their lineup this offseason.

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros have been lacking a substantial presence at first base for a few years. Similar to the Yankees, the Astros were near the bottom of MLB in first base production once again in 2024.

The Astros were 28th in wRC+ (80) and fWAR (-1.9), and they were 29th in OPS (.624) and wOBA (.277). With the José Abreu experiment coming to a disappointing end in 2024, Jon Singleton was tasked with a bigger workload and is currently slotted as the team’s top first baseman heading into 2025.

For an Astros team that is still looking to compete for a championship, first base is in need of a glaring upgrade.

Houston has an opportunity to bring in Alonso to be a long-term solution and become a pillar of their offense alongside Kyle Tucker, Yordan Alvarez, and Jose Altuve. Alonso would help this team go from one of the worst first base situations in baseball to one of the best, and it would go a long way for their 2025 outlook and beyond.

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants have been in talks with some of baseball’s top free agents in recent years, and that will likely continue to be the case this winter. Alonso would be a huge addition for an offense that has lacked power for a few years.

LaMonte Wade Jr. was the club’s primary first baseman in 2024, and he put together a strong season, ending the year with a .761 OPS and a 119 wRC+ in 401 plate appearances. However, Wade is set to be a free agent following the 2025 season, and he’s rumored to be on the trade block this offseason as the Giants look to make an upgrade at the position.

The Giants have been stuck in a state of mediocrity since 2022, finishing around .500 for each of the past three seasons. They want to take a step forward in 2025 and return to the postseason, and adding Alonso into the fold would go a long way in accomplishing that feat.

The Giants’ lineup has some capable depth, but it lacks an abundance of top-end offensive talent. Alonso would immediately slot in as the most prolific hitter in their lineup, and he would bring a jolt of star power to San Francisco’s roster.

Honorable Mention: Seattle Mariners

After making the postseason in 2023 and snapping their historic 20-year postseason drought, the Seattle Mariners came up short once again in 2024 and wound up on the outside looking in come October.

Despite sporting one of the most outstanding pitching staffs in Major League Baseball, their stagnant and inconsistent offense was their limiting factor in 2024. Starting rotations such as Seattle’s don’t come around too often, and they need to fortify their offense to supplement their tremendous rotation heading into 2025.

The Mariners have talent and pieces to build around offensively, and adding Alonso into the mix could help put their ballclub over the top. The NL West is there for the taking, and a step forward offensively will be necessary for the Mariners if they wish to return to contention.

Whether or not they target Alonso this winter will just depend on their appetite to spend.