Report: Angels Looking At Pete Alonso

Updated Post: Jan. 1 at 17:56

Jon Heyman of the New York Post, reporting on BR live told reviewers the Los Angeles Angels are “looking at” free agent slugger Pete Alonso.

Updated Post: Dec. 28 at 16:30

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that the San Francisco Giants have “Pete Alonso on their radar” for their first base/DH positions. The market for Alonso has probably not gone as planned, with many of the reported teams interested in him filling first base with free-agent signings (Yankees, Astros, Guardians) or trades (Diamondbacks, Nationals). One of the only other teams who have been reported to be interested in Alonso, the Seattle Mariners, still remain without a new first baseman. It is worth mentioning that they balked at the asking price for Christian Walker and thus seem less inclined to offer even more money to Alonso.

In regards to his fit on the Giants, they currently have the left-handed hitting Lamonte Wade Jr. as their first baseman, but he is a free agent after the 2025 season. In addition, the Giants have the No. 35 (MLB.com) in the 20-year-old Bryce Eldridge who has plus plus power and ended his 2024 season in Triple-A. While Eldridge exclusively played the outfield in 2023, he only played first base in 2024 and that seems to be his likely home thanks to his 6’7″ frame.

In addition, Oracle Park is not known as a right-handed hitters’ haven. Plus, the Giants have not had a player hit at least 30 home runs in a season since 2004, so signing Alonso could add some power to that lineup and break that drought but cost him a fair share of home runs.

Alonso had a down season which saw him hit .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs and 88 RBI while playing all 162 games. With many general managers reluctant to pay aging first basemen, it seems as if Scott Boras and Pete Alonso may regret turning down the seven-year, $158 million dollar extension the Mets offered the first baseman in June of 2023.

Original Post

Entering free agency, the market for Mets free agent slugger Pete Alonso was always going to be an interesting one. An aging first baseman, who has arguably the best power in the game, but does not exactly play terrific all-around defense, on the open market for the first time posed an interesting question. Well, so far, we have yet to get an answer to that question, but several of the potential dominos are continuing to fall.

A few weeks ago, according to Bookies.com, the top five favorites to land Alonso included the Mets, three teams that have already found their 2025 answer to first base, and the Seattle Mariners.

On Saturday, the Yankees reportedly signed Paul Goldschmidt, the Astros reportedly agreed to a contract with the other top first baseman on the open market, Christian Walker, and the Arizona Diamondbacks reportedly acquired first baseman Josh Naylor from the Cleveland Guardians. The Guardians, who found themselves with a hole at first base, promptly signed Carlos Santana to fill that new void.

Each of those three teams made up three of the top four landing spots for Alonso according to Bookie.com. So, with all those moves, it would appear the Mets would be the odds-on favorite to bring Alonso back. This especially due to the current hole at first base the team still has and the now limited options on the market with the busy day the first baseman market saw on Saturday. Outside of Alonso, the next best first baseman still on the market according to projected wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025 by Fangraphs is Josh Bell, who owns a projected WAR 1.6 less than Alonso; a huge gap.

Entering free agency, MLB Trade Rumors projected Alonso to sign a five-year deal worth $125 million. All indications up to this point have seem to point to the fact Alonso may not exactly land a deal that long unless it includes opt outs. A move as such would seemingly fit president of baseball operations David Stearns philosophy given Alonso’s profile and age. With that in mind, the all of a sudden desolate first base market, and most of Alonso’s main suitors finding answers elsewhere, is a return to the Mets nearing? Only time will tell.

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