Pete Alonso has essentially emerged as the ultimate Kyle Schwarber consolation prize in MLB free agency. He’s expected to attend the MLB Winter Meetings this week to speak with teams, including the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles. Meanwhile, the incumbent New York Mets remain a player, while the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates loom as ambitious dark horses.
Alonso finished last season with an .871 OPS and 144 OPS+, knocking 38 home runs and 126 RBI for the Mets. He’s a defensive liability at first base — and could soon merit a move to DH — but even at 31 years old, Alonso is set to command a lucrative multi-year deal. Here’s how each rumored suitor can win him over.
Pittsburgh Pirates: You heard of that Paul Skenes guy? 
Pittsburgh Pirates v Cincinnati Reds | Jeff Dean/GettyImages
It seems like the Pirates are making their pitch to every relevant free agent hitter. Alonso would meaningfully improve a limp Pirates offense, infusing the lineup with power and consistency that just does not exist presently. Pittsburgh has plenty of long-term upside between the likes of Oneil Cruz and 19-year-old phenom Konnor Griffin, but this lineup needs a stabilizing force. Alonso can provide it.
That’s not to say Alonso has a favorable history at PNC Park (career .722 OPS in 16 games), or that Alonso is above the occasional cold spell. He strikes out a ton, and he’s probably not the absolute best hitter on a real contender. Pittsburgh would need to beef up the roster around him significantly. That said, Alonso draws walks and finds ways to get on base — plus, pitchers tend to tread carefully around him, an effect that would be amplified as Pittsburgh’s offensive centerpiece.
Pittsburgh’s best pitch to Alonso, beyond the natural charm of life in the Steel City and making him a face of the franchise, is the pitching staff. It starts with Paul Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, whose long window of club control means Alonso can expect to spend the duration of his contract as Skenes’ teammate. But there is also depth: Jared Jones and Bubba Chandler, both in their early 20s with extremely high ceilings, as well as Mitch Keller, Braxton Ashcraft and Mike Burrows behind them.
Alonso spent last season on a Mets team that just couldn’t hold opposing offenses in check. The Pirates aren’t going to spend on New York’s level, ever, but with Alonso’s bat and the foundation of an elite pitching staff, there’d be something brewing in Pittsburgh.
Philadelphia Phillies: Torment the Mets and win the NL East
New York Mets v Philadelphia Phillies | Mitchell Leff/GettyImages
The Philadelphia Phillies won’t delve into the Pete Alonso waters unless Kyle Schwarber signs elsewhere, but he’s one heck of a replacement plan. Alonso can replicate much of Schwarber’s power and give Philadelphia another right-handed slugger in the heart of the order. He’d slide comfortably into Schwarber’s DH spot, but Alonso also gives Philly the option to hand Bryce Harper more DH reps and preserve their franchise cornerstone.
Citizens Bank Park should treat Alonso fairly well, and he’d be joining an immediate contender — arguably the second-best team in the NL behind the Dodgers. Philadelphia challenged L.A. more than any other National League team in the 2025 playoffs. Harper, Trea Turner, Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez — Alonso would be joining an accomplished, veteran core with ample October experience, experience which he can add to.
The main appeal here, other than John Middleton’s deep pockets, is probably the chance to directly avenge the Mets’ presumed decision not to re-sign him. If Alonso gets pushed out of Queens because GM David Stearns doesn’t like his archetype, or because he prefers a Schwarber pursuit, there isn’t a better way for Alonso to express his frustration than by joining Philadelphia and battling the Mets directly for the division crown.
Baltimore Orioles: Look how long our timeline is
Baltimore Orioles v New York Yankees | Kent J. Edwards/GettyImages
The Baltimore Orioles appear friskier than usual this offseason, with Alonso the primary object of obsession for GM Mike Elias and the front office. It would require a significant upset for Baltimore to acquire such a coveted talent, but there’s a chance Alonso’s market is just muted enough as a 31-year-old first baseman on the DH track. And no team needs to be taking swings more than the O’s.
Alonso has a career OPS of 1.039 in Camden Yards, so his hitting profile should translate to the friendly confines in Baltimore. Moreover, it’s a relatively short East Coast move from NYC to Baltimore, so it’s not like Alonso needs to uproot his entire life and travel across the country. He can still spend time in New York if he pleases and compete there frequently when the O’s face their division rivals from the Bronx.
The meat of Baltimore’s case, however, rests on their uniquely long competitive timeline. The Phillies and Mets are older rosters. Pittsburgh has pitching, but little else. The O’s possess one of the brightest young cores in MLB, from a 24-year-old MVP candidate in Gunnar Henderson to a wealth of up-and-coming boppers like Jordan Westburg, Jackson Holliday, Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers — all of whom are in their early 20s and under club control for the foreseeable future.
Baltimore won 101 games just a couple years ago and has a roster that should develop naturally over time. The opportunity for Alonso to line up the tail end of his prime with the beginning of Baltimore’s competitive window could mean that he’s in a prime position to contend for the duration of his contract. Plus, the O’s can move Alonso to DH, extending his value as a premium bat while investing in their potpourri of young infielders.
Boston Red Sox: Roman Anthony and Fenway Park, what a life
Boston Red Sox v New York Yankees | Jim McIsaac/GettyImages
Alonso has a career .893 OPS at Fenway and should tackle the Green Monster admirably on a more regular basis. The Red Sox need to add more right-handed power to the lineup and there isn’t a better righty bat on the market than the Polar Bear. It just so happens that Boston also needs a first baseman, so if Alonso wants to stay on the field consistently for a couple more years, the Red Sox are the spot.
Alonso has family in Boston and has told friends the Red Sox are “high” on his list, per Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. That’s another factor in Boston’s favor, plus the standard appeal of remaining on the east coast and in relatively close proximity to his current dwellings.
The best argument in favor of Boston, however, is the roster. Boston has built up a deep rotation behind ace Garrett Crochet. Meanwhile, the lineup is flush with both established vets (Trevor Story, hopefully Alex Bregman) and youthful up-and-comers (Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Wilyer Abreu, etc.).
Not unlike the Orioles, Boston has a deep farm system and a young, controllable core that sets them up for prolonged success. The Red Sox are probably a bit closer to the mountaintop, however, so there’s a reason Boston feels like the tentative favorite at this stage.
New York Mets: This is home
Toronto Blue Jays v New York Mets | Elsa/GettyImages
It’s unclear if the Mets really want Alonso back. He only came back last winter after the market collapsed and New York was able to scoop him up on a one-year deal. The Mets need a first baseman, and Alonso is still a winning player by all metrics. But David Stearns wants to get younger and improve on defense, neither of which are boxes Alonso can check. He might work as a DH, but that limits the Mets’ ability to flex Juan Soto to that spot in the near future, which further hamstrings the defense.
That said, Alonso’s bat is an incredibly valuable tool behind Soto in the lineup, and he’s spent his entire career in Queens. He’s beloved there — a borderline cult hero. Plus, there aren’t many better alternatives on the market: Josh Naylor re-signed in Seattle, and Kyle Schwarber probably costs more and can’t defend at any position. It doesn’t make a ton of sense for the Mets to just let Alonso walk unless Stearns can trade for his replacement or use Alonso’s money on a Kyle Tucker-like marquee free agent.
Citi Field is all that Alonso knows as far as home ballparks in MLB. He also knows that Steve Cohen has the deepest pockets in baseball. Even if the Mets don’t give Alonso the exact deal he wants, they will always be willing to spend the money necessary to field a contender. Alonso has two bankable superstar teammates in Lindor and Soto, along with an aggressive front office.
These negotations are a two-way street, so the Mets need to adequately express their fondness for Alonso. But it’s hard to imagine him wanting to leave if the money is comparable across the board. Someone needs to thoroughly outbid the Mets, which is easier said than done.