Even after landing the crown jewel of the free-agent market in outfielder Juan Soto, the New York Mets are still trying to bring back fan favorite first baseman Pete Alonso. Even after a few other big names have made the move to new clubs, Alonso remains a free agent with perhaps a bit less interest than expected after somewhat of a down year. With that being the case, the Mets may feel they can bring the 30-year-old back at a more affordable price than anticipated. However, there is still plenty of time to sign and maybe a few more dominoes need to fall in order to provide some clarity on what his possible landing spots are and how much his services should be worth. The Polar Bear hit 34 home runs last season, 12 fewer than in 2023, and his strikeout rate crept up again, yet his wRC+ increased slightly to 122 from 121. Nevertheless, the veteran is durable and should be a reliable source of power again in 2025 fantasy drafts.
Pete Alonso's Market Likely To Take Longer To Develop
ESPN's Jeff Passan writes that free-agent first baseman Pete Alonso's free-agent market this winter is likely to take more time to develop than free-agent shortstop Willy Adames'. However, there's a scenario where Alonso doesn't want to miss out on the big-spending teams and those same clubs don't want to miss out on an impact bat after Juan Soto decides his destination. Alonso isn't a great fit for the same teams that are in the running for Soto. For instance, the Yankees already have enough power with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Buster Olney suggests the best possible outcome for Alonso would be if Soto signs with a team other than the Mets, because Alonso is worth more to the Mets than any other team. Alonso has been durable and is still a premier power bat, but his offensive numbers dipped again in 2024, and he's now 30 years old. Still, the Polar Bear is a safe bet for 30 homers no matter where he goes.
As expected, the New York Mets gave free-agent first baseman Pete Alonso a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer on Monday. This was a no-brainer move for the Mets with Alonso headed towards being one of the most sought-after free-agent bats on the market this winter. If Alonso declines the offer, which he's expected to do, the Mets will receive draft-pick compensation if he signs elsewhere. Although the 29-year-old they call the Polar Bear isn't a big asset defensively at first base, there will be plenty of interest around the league in one of the most powerful right-handed bats. His offensive numbers were slightly down in 2024 with a .240/.329/.459 slash line, career-low .788 OPS, 34 home runs, 88 RBI, three steals and 91 runs scored in a league-high 162 regular-season games. Still, the four-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year's power will play in any ballpark.
Yankees Could Make Play For Pete Alonso This Offseason
The New York Yankees are expected to pursue Pete Alonso as a backup plan to any Juan Soto fallout during the offseason, according to Jon Heyman. After declining a $17 million option for first baseman Anthony Rizzo, the Yankees are aiming to save money for a big free-agent signing. Alonso is expected to be the prime backup option if Soto chooses not to re-sign with the Yankees. The 29-year-old will be one of the hottest names on the free-agent market this season after posting yet another solid season at the plate with a 123 OPS+ and 34 home runs. Fantasy managers should continue to target Alonso in drafts regardless of where he lands, as his xwOBA of .345 -- ranking in the 79th percentile in 2024 -- should translate to offensive success regardless of where he lands.
Pete Alonso Hits Three-Run Homer, Collects Two Hits In Big Mets Win
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso smashed a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to get the Mets started off on the right foot in their 12-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. Alonso went 2-3 at the plate with three RBI, a walk and four runs as part of his big night. Driven by Alonso's performance, New York will travel to Los Angeles and fight to extend their season in Game 6. The 29-year-old improved his postseason OPS to .990 after Friday night's monster performance, solidifying him as one of the more reliable threats in New York's lineup. He will look to continue his productive ways on Sunday in Los Angeles. DFS players will want to target him in their lineups regardless of who the Dodgers throw. As of now Los Angeles has yet to name a starter, but Alonso will be a threat regardless.
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso came up huge on Thursday, belting a three-run homer off Devin Williams in the top of the ninth to lead the Mets to a 4-2 win in Game 3 of their Wild Card series. The homer was Alonso's only hit on the day, but he won't care about that. The Polar Bear finishes the Wild Card series 2-for-9 with a homer, three walks, and three RBI, but more importantly, he will leave with the biggest moment of the postseason so far. Alonso and the Mets will now head to Philadelphia to take on the Phillies in the NLDS.
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso racked up three hits in Wednesday night's win over the visiting Oakland Athletics at Citi Field, going yard with three RBI while finishing a triple shy of the cycle in the victory. Before grounding a two-run double to left field to extend the Mets' lead to 9-1 in the seventh inning, Alonso belted a solo homer off Oakland right-hander Joey Estes to left field to push New York's lead to 3-0 in the fourth frame on Wednesday against the A's. In 22 games since July 22, the 29-year-old All-Star slugger is hitting .280 (23-for-82) with seven round-trippers, 17 RBI, and 13 runs scored.
Pete Alonso Homers Twice In Victory Over Colorado Thursday
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso slugged two home runs on Thursday afternoon in a 9-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Both home runs came off starter Austin Gomber -- one in the first inning and one in the third inning. Alonso is now hitting .246 with 25 home runs, 63 RBI, three stolen bases, and 67 runs in 439 at-bats. The veteran has hit three home runs in his last seven games after a bit of a cold spell. Alonso will look to keep this hot stretch up on Friday when the Mets travel to Seattle to play a three-game set with the Mariners.
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso had a big night in his team's 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. Alonso went 1-for-4 with a walk and a two-run homer to help power the Mets to victory. The veteran first baseman's homer was a bomb, traveling 421 feet with an exit velocity of 113.8 MPH and giving the Mets a 3-1 lead in the third inning. Alonso is now hitting .242 with 23 homers, 62 runs, 59 RBI, and two stolen bases across 418 at-bats in 2024, proving his worth as an elite source of power numbers in fantasy leagues.
Pete Alonso Powers Up Monday With Solo Homer, RBI Double
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso powered up on Monday night with a solo home run and an RBI double in a 14-2 onslaught victory against the Minnesota Twins. He went 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBI, and three runs scored in Monday's win. Alonso has had a subpar season in the power department for his standards, as he's barely on pace to crack 30 home runs this year, where he was able to smack 40-plus long balls each of the last two seasons. It doesn't bode well for the 29-year-old slugger who hits free agency for the first time in his career, especially since power-hitting first basemen have been moderately valued over the past few seasons. If he can find his vintage power stroke and boost that batting average up to the .270 range, he should be highly sought after by teams during the offseason, but if things go south for the Polar Bear for the last couple of months, he could be headed for a one-year prove-it deal in 2025.
