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Pete Alonso

Pete Alonso Open To Some DH Time In 2026

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After turning in one of the strongest offensive performances of his career in 2025, it was an easy decision for Pete Alonso to opt out of the final year of his deal with the Mets and return to the open market. After last year’s contentious trip through free agency that saw Alonso return to Queens only after a soft market left him to sign a short-term deal, it’s understandable that many observers have wondered if this year could be his last in New York. Those questions about Alonso’s future were somewhat amplified by a report that the Mets aren’t especially enamored with Alonso defensively at first base and would intend for him to spend time at DH if he returns to the club next year.

That’s actually something Alonso appears amenable to, however. Agent Scott Boras, who represents Alonso, told reporters (including Tim Healey of The Boston Globe) yesterday that Alonso would be willing to spend at least some time at DH next year, and that would be especially true if he were playing for a winning franchise or in the right situation for that to take place. Meanwhile, Jon Heyman of The New York Post reports that the Mets and Alonso have opened talks about a new contract and that there’s a “better feeling” around those early negotiations than was present last winter.

That all creates some reason for optimism among Mets fans that a reunion could be on the table once again this winter. At least on paper, they certainly seem to be the clear best fit for his services around the league. The Mariners and Padres could use help at first base but seem unlikely to spend what it would take to bring in someone like Alonso. Teams like the Pirates and Marlins are in desperate need of offense and are seemingly willing to spend more than usual, but a deal for Alonso would be a massive departure from their usual comfort zone and Alonso himself might prefer to play for a more consistent winner than either of those teams.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t any suitors for whom he would be a fit, of course. The Red Sox have been heavily speculated about as a destination for Alonso, and if Alex Bregman departs in free agency Alonso might represent their best chance to add an impactful, right-handed bat to the lineup who can replace him. The Giants had interest in Alonso last year, but have added Rafael Devers to the lineup and moved him to first base since then. Both teams also have young, up-and-coming first base options (Triston Casas, Bryce Eldridge) they’d be displacing by signing Alonso. That further complicates the fit.

Heyman also suggests that there’s at least some interest in Alonso from the Orioles, who will have Samuel Basallo drawing regular at-bats at either first base or DH on days that Adley Rutschman is behind the plate but could look to add someone more reliable than Coby Mayo and Ryan Mountcastle to handle the other position. Alonso would be an interesting fit given the team’s heavily left-handed lineup, but adding pitching figures to be the team’s top priority this winter with most of their rotation headed into free agency and closer Felix Bautista sidelined for most if not all of the 2026 season.

As sensible as the fit between the two sides might seem on paper, that doesn’t mean a reunion is necessarily a slam dunk. The Mets have gotten involved in the market for players making the jump from NPB to MLB in the past, as they were a finalist for Yoshinobu Yamamoto and landed Kodai Senga. They’ve already been connected to Tatsuya Imai on the pitching side of things, but corner infield sluggers Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto could be attractive alternatives to Alonso as well. Murakami, in particular, could have appeal at just 26 years old; president of baseball operations David Stearns went well out of his typical comfort zone to land Juan Soto last winter in part due to him being exceptionally young for a star free agent. Josh Naylor, Ryan O’Hearn, Paul Goldschmidt, and Rhys Hoskins are among the other first basemen on the market this winter, but none besides Murakami can offer anything close to Alonso’s power output.

Pete Alonso Opts Out Of Mets Contract

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Pete Alonso has officially opted out of his contract with the Mets, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. He declines a $24MM player option and heads back to free agency.

Alonso announced that he’d be doing this as soon as the season ended. There was never much intrigue anyhow. Last offseason’s two-year pillow deal was always designed to get him back to the market this winter. He collected $30MM for the first season — a $10MM signing bonus and $20MM salary — and now takes another shot at finding the long-term deal that didn’t materialize last winter.

The five-time All-Star should be better positioned this time around. He’s coming off a .272/.347/.524 showing with 38 home runs and an NL-leading 41 doubles across 709 plate appearances. Alonso’s 2024 had been a relative down season by his standards, as he’d hit .240/.329/.459 with 34 round-trippers. Last winter also saw his market dragged down by the qualifying offer. That’s not on the table this time. The collective bargaining agreement prevents a player from receiving more than one QO in his career.

Alonso will slot behind Kyle Schwarber and probably NPB superstar Munetaka Murakami as the best power bats in the class. He’s atop the list of free agent first basemen, which also includes Josh Naylor, Ryan O’Hearn, Luis Arraez, Josh Bell, Paul Goldschmidt and Rhys Hoskins. There’ll be teams that prefer Murakami as a first baseman rather than at third base, which has been his primary home with the Yakult Swallows in Japan. Another NBP corner infielder, Kazuma Okamoto, is also coming over via the posting system.

Alonso’s opt-out is one of three resolved option decisions for the Mets so far. Edwin Díaz is also opting out, while A.J. Minter exercised his $11MM player option as he works back from lat surgery. They’re still awaiting official word from Frankie Montas, but he’s obviously going to lock in his $17MM player option after undergoing elbow surgery in August. The Mets could simply release Montas at that point to open a roster spot, but there’s no escaping the money. The team still has to decide on options for Brooks Raley ($4.75MM or a $350K buyout) and Drew Smith ($2MM).

The Case For The Reds To Sign A Big Bat

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The Reds’ immediate exit from the playoffs makes it easy to forget the successes of the regular season. Cincinnati snapped a four-year postseason drought in manager Terry Francona’s first season. They won 83 games for just the second time since 2013. This team has something to build on heading into 2026, and now is the time to make a splash in free agency.

As MLBTR’s Anthony Franco explored in Cincinnati’s Offseason Outlook for Front Office subscribers, improving the offense will be key this offseason. The club did not have the depth or high-end talent to compete with the best of the National League. Cincinnati could make smaller moves around the margins, as they’ve done in recent seasons, but why not take a bigger swing?

Financially, the team is in a decent spot. FanGraphs’ RosterResource tool has the Reds with an estimated payroll of around $94MM heading into next season. They were close to $120MM this past season, and have been above $130MM in each season from 2020 to 2022. The biggest current commitment for 2026 is the $13MM owed to Jeimer Candelario. While it stings to be shelling out that amount to a player no longer in the organization, Candelario is the only one on the books for eight figures right now, assuming the team declines Austin Hays’ $12MM mutual option. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz has Brady Singer projected to earn $11.9MM in arbitration, but the righty will likely be the only significant commitment coming from the arbitration process.

Cincinnati’s largest free agent contract by total value is a tie between Nick Castellanos and Mike Moustakas at $64MM over four years in 2020, as shown on MLBTR’s Contract Tracker. The club will have to go well beyond a $16MM average annual value to entice Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso, but maybe combining the outlay on Castellanos and Moustakas would be enough to make an interesting offer.

Part of the reason for the offense being the offseason focus is that the pitching staff was excellent in 2025. Hunter Greene looked like an ace when healthy. Andrew Abbott delivered a breakout season. Singer and Nick Lodolo provided stable innings. Chase Burns posted electrifying strikeout numbers upon getting called up. Cincinnati ranked ninth in starting pitcher ERA. Only six other starting staffs had more strikeouts.

The success on the mound is made more impressive by Cincinnati’s home venue. Great American Ball Park ranks third in StatCast’s Park Factor metric. It’s the second-highest rated park for home runs. The strides made by the starting pitching unit make the shortcomings of the offense harder to swallow, especially given the favorable hitting environment.

Though they snuck into the playoffs after chasing down the Mets, the Reds finished third in the NL Central. They haven’t been better than third in the division since winning it in 2012. This might be the perfect time to buck that trend.

Pittsburgh and St. Louis are in rebuilding mode, making this a three-horse race heading into next season. Milwaukee and Chicago both won 90+ games in 2025, but could be facing significant losses. Kyle Tucker is a free agent. He would fit the bill as a significant splash for Cincinnati, though he’s likely out of their price range. The more likely impact is removing a key contributor from the middle of the Cubs’ lineup. Speaking of important losses, Milwaukee could be considering a Freddy Peralta trade. It would be a massive loss for a rotation without much proven depth and some health questions.

The Brewers and Cubs are still likely the favorites to win the NL Central next season, but the Reds can close the gap. Their finances make a big move possible, and their pitching staff deserves better support. Schwarber said it would be “cool” to suit up for his hometown team. The Reds might as well try to make that happen.

Poll: Are The Mets Likelier To Re-Sign Pete Alonso Or Edwin Diaz?

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Coming off an epic collapse and a non-playoff season, there are plenty of questions facing the Mets heading into the offseason.  As the club explores ways to get better, however, they face a couple of big decisions just in regards to keeping two long-time roster staples in first baseman Pete Alonso and closer Edwin Diaz.  Alonso has already said he will be declining his $24MM player option for 2026 in order to re-enter free agency, and Diaz is widely expected to test the market as well by declining his player options for the 2026-27 seasons (as per the terms of Diaz’s deal, he must exercise or decline both options at once).

Many Mets fans will make the point that the club could or should just re-sign both players.  Money isn’t really an object for a team that has boasted record payrolls under Steve Cohen’s ownership, and Alonso and Diaz are each coming off big seasons.  For all of the Mets’ issues in 2025, Alonso and Diaz weren’t part of the problem — Alonso hit .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs over 709 plate appearances, and Diaz recorded 28 saves while posting a 1.63 ERA and 38% strikeout rate over 66 1/3 innings.

Retaining either player, of course, comes with a few concerns.  The Mets and Alonso just went through this free agent dance last winter, as after a lack of interest from other suitors and a protracted series of negotiations with New York’s front office, Alonso settled for a two-year, $54MM deal with an opt-out clause after the first season.  Alonso’s goal of entering the market with a better platform season came to fruition, and he also won’t have the qualifying offer attached to his services this time, for any clubs concerned over giving up draft picks to sign him.

While Alonso’s numbers were decidedly better in 2025 than in 2024, the question of whether or not Alonso was still a top-tier bat wasn’t really one of the chief concerns facing the Mets or other free agent suitors last offseason.  Alonso is a right-handed hitting first base-only player, and the market simply hasn’t been too welcoming to such players in recent years, no matter how much pop is in their bats.  Speaking of defense, Alonso’s subpar glovework has him pointed towards a future as a DH, so any team signing the slugger will face the immediate question over how much longer they’re willing to deploy him at first base.  If Alonso projects as a one-dimensional player going forward, the fact that he’s entering his age-31 season means that he is one year closer to the end of his prime.

One plus in Alonso’s favor is his extreme durability.  Diaz is entering his age-32 season, and his health record includes a 2023 season entirely lost due to knee surgery, and a (minimal) stint on the 15-day injured list in 2024 due to a shoulder impingement.  While Diaz isn’t showing any signs of slowing down on the mound, there are also the natural concerns present when considering any bullpen arm for a long-term contract, given how inconsistent most relievers can be on a year-to-year basis.

Diaz’s knee injury obviously hadn’t happened at the time of his last foray into free agency, but larger concerns over his future performance didn’t weigh too heavily on the Mets’ minds in 2022 when the team quickly re-signed the righty to his five-year, $102MM deal soon after the free agent market opened.  Cohen was naturally the one making the final call on Diaz’s new contract, though it is worth noting that Billy Eppler was New York’s general manager at the time of that signing.

Current president of baseball operations David Stearns may well have a different view of Diaz’s value, which is why MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo feels that if the Mets only keep one of the two star free agents, “Alonso has a better chance of staying.”  Stearns has traditionally preferred to build his bullpens with relievers on shorter-term commitments, both when he was running the Brewers’ front office (and focusing more on inexpensive hidden-gem types) and during his two years in Queens (when working with a much larger payroll).

DiComo also observed that “just about everyone needs relief pitching,” so while perhaps only a few teams may be able to meet Diaz’s expected price tag, “Díaz is also likely to have at least as many suitors as Alonso.”  Diaz’s age is a factor in another sense here, as SNY’s Andy Martino points out that Diaz may view this trip to free agency as his “last bite at the apple at getting a huge contract.”  Despite the mutual interest between Diaz and the Mets in a reunion, he might not be able to resist taking the larger offer if a closer-needy team outbids the Mets in years.

Could it be possible that both Alonso and Diaz have played their last game in a Mets uniform?  This seems like perhaps the least-likely scenario, as then the Mets would have to add both first base and closer to an offseason shopping list that is already headlined by a severe need for starting pitching.  Technically, letting both Alonso and Diaz walk would free up more payroll room for the Amazins to splurge on rotation help, or for the club to pursue other quality first base or high-leverage relief that would come at lower price tags.  But, “payroll room” is probably not a big deal to a club with a more or less endless budget.  And, letting two fan favorites go in the same offseason might not appeal to a Mets fanbase that is already upset over the disappointment of 2025.

What do you think will happen with the Mets and these two big free agent decisions? Vote now in our poll.

Pete Alonso Expected To Seek Seven-Year Deal In Free Agency

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First baseman Pete Alonso is ticketed for a second consecutive trip through free agency, as he told reporters when the regular season came to a close that he intends to opt out of the final year of his contract and return to the open market. He won’t officially become a free agent until five days after the World Series concludes, but whispers about Alonso’s asking price as he returns to the market have already begun to percolate. According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, Alonso is expected to seek at least a seven-year deal as he returns to free agency.

It’s natural for players to set a high bar for contract negotiations entering free agency, but it would be something of a surprise if Alonso was able to secure that sort of arrangement. A seven-year pact would cover the slugger’s age-31 through -37 seasons, and that’s the sort of rarefied air that’s difficult for a defensively limited slugger to reach in free agency. Dodgers star Freddie Freeman is signed through age-37, but Freeman is an MVP winner and future Hall of Famer. It’s hard to argue Alonso is in that same stratosphere, and few other first basemen have managed to get that sort of long-term security.

Paul Goldschmidt’s extension with the Cardinals back in 2019 was for just five years and $130MM, ending after his age-36 campaign, and Matt Olson’s eight-year, $168MM contract extension with Atlanta is guaranteed only through his age-35 season. Both Goldschmidt and Olson were also Gold Glove winners for their work at first base when they signed those deals, while Alonso is viewed both by defensive metrics and many scouts as one of the game’s weaker first basemen defensively. While Puma points to Marcus Semien and Matt Chapman as fellow Boras clients who managed to land contracts in a similar range to what Alonso is expected to seek, it also must be noted that Chapman actually signed a six-year extension with the Giants after he had already been in the fold on a short-term deal similar to the one Alonso will be opting out of.

More importantly, Semien was a shortstop when he signed with the Rangers, and Chapman is a multi-time Gold Glove winner at third base. When it comes to financial expectations for infielders higher on the defensive spectrum, the bar is simply much different than it is for first basemen. That’s part of why players like Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa who have found themselves taking similar short-term contracts with high average annual values in free agency to the one Alonso signed last winter have been able to secure a higher AAV than Alonso did on a two-year pact. The same principle extends to larger deals, and helps to explain why someone like Xander Bogaerts managed to land a contract that will pay him through his age-40 campaign despite much less robust offensive numbers than someone like Alonso can offer.

Even if Alonso is unable to land the seven-year guarantee he appears to covet, it should still be expected that he’ll make out far better in free agency this time around than he did last season. After all, he’s no longer encumbered by draft pick compensation after rejecting a Qualifying Offer from the Mets last winter. That means a team that signs him away from Queens won’t have to forfeit draft capital in order to bring him into the fold, and that reality is likely to help his market a great deal. In addition, Alonso enjoyed a much stronger platform season this year than he did in 2024. This season, Alonso appeared in 162 games for the second consecutive season and slashed .277/.347/.524 with a wRC+ of 141, which tied his 2022 campaign for the second-best mark of his career.

Alonso famously rejected a seven-year, $158MM extension offer from the Mets back in 2023. That deal would have covered the last year of his arbitration eligibility, for which he ultimately received $20.5MM. In other words, he’ll need to make more than $137.5MM between 2025 and 2030 in order to surpass that benchmark. He made $30MM this year, meaning he’ll need to beat $107.5MM over the next five seasons if he’s going to exceed the value of that extension he passed on. It seems very safe to bet on him to do just that at this point.

Goldschmidt’s extension with the Cardinals, which covered his age-32 to -36 seasons, netted him $130MM over five years. While Goldschmidt’s 145 career wRC+ at the time of that deal was far stronger than Alonso’s career 132 wRC+ entering this offseason, Alonso will be entering his age-31 season when his next contract begins and will benefit from more than half a decade of inflation since St. Louis inked that deal just before the 2019 season began. Considering that he wouldn’t even need to match Goldschmidt’s guarantee in order to beat that 2023 extension offer, it seems safe to say that Alonso will come out ahead in free agency this year so long as he doesn’t have to settle for another short-term agreement.

Mets Notes: Alonso, Marte, Manaea

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First baseman Pete Alonso has already said he will be opting out of his deal with the Mets and re-entering free agency, which could set up another will-they-won’t-they winter. A report from Will Sammon of The Athletic suggests that the Mets aren’t thrilled with Alonso’s defense and that spending more time at designated hitter may be necessary if the two sides do end up reuniting.

Alonso has been a mainstay at first base for the Mets for many years. He has started at least 134 games there in each of the past six full seasons, including at least 160 games in each of the past two campaigns.

While that reliable presence is valuable, the actual results have been less consistent. Defensive Runs Saved oscillated between giving Alonso positive and negative grades earlier in his career but has soured on him more recently. He was credited with a -3 score last year and -9 this season, bringing him down to -7 for his whole career. Outs Above Average has been more consistently down on him, as 2021 is the only year that metric had him above average. He’s at -33 for his career overall, including -8 in 2024 and -9 in 2025.

Alonso has only ever played for the Mets but the club seemed willing to let him go last winter. He reached free agency and lingered unsigned until February, when he and the Mets finally reunited on a two-year, $54MM deal which allowed him to opt out after the first season. Just prior to that reunion, Mets owner Steve Cohen publicly complained about the “exhausting” negotiations.

It was often speculated last offseason that the Mets were willing to let Alonso walk. At that point, the Mets would perhaps move Mark Vientos from third base to first base, leaving the hot corner open for someone like Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio or Luisangel Acuña. Now that Alonso is returning to free agency, that kind of speculation might return.

It’s unknown if Alonso is willing to spend more time in the DH slot or if he prides himself on continuing to be out there at first. If he is open to it, the Mets could accommodate him. Most of their DH at-bats went to Starling Marte this year, with Jesse Winker also in the mix before he got hurt. Both players are impending free agents, so the Mets could offer plenty of DH time to Alonso or someone else.

It’s also possible Alonso plays for a team other than the Mets for the first time. He didn’t get the long-term deal he was looking for last winter but his upcoming market could be stronger. He won’t be attached to a qualifying offer this time since players can only receive the QO once. He’s also coming off a better offensive platform, having increased his batting line from .240/.329/.459 in 2024 to .272/.347/.524 in 2025. But on the other hand, he’s about to turn 31 years old and other teams might be just as concerned about his glovework as the Mets.

Speaking of Marte, he spoke to Sammon this week, saying that he hopes to play for several more years and would be open to doing that as a Met. “Only God knows, but with continued good health, I’d love to have the opportunity to play at least three or four more years,” Marte said, “and continue to be part of this team and continue to help the young guys grow.”

Marte last reached free agency ahead of the 2022 season, when he was going into his age-33 campaign. He and the Mets agreed to a four-year, $78MM pact, which is now ending. The first year went well, as he slashed .292/.347/.468 for a 133 wRC+ and stole 18 bases.

However, he required groin surgery after that season and hasn’t been at that level since. He made multiple trips to the IL in 2023 and hit just .248/.301/.324 for a wRC+ of 75. He has bounced back somewhat in the two most recent seasons. He just hit .270/.335/.410 for a 112 wRC+ this year but, as mentioned, was mostly a DH. He only logged 65 innings in the outfield.

The bat is still decent but he’s about to turn 37 years old, so he’s probably ticketed for a part-time role somewhere. Based on Sammon’s piece, Marte seems to also provide intangibles as a clubhouse leader. That could help his market somewhat but he’ll have considerably less earning power than in his previous trip to free agency. As mentioned, the Mets have DH at-bats available, though they will probably wait to see how things go with Alonso and other free agents before they consider bringing back Marte.

Elsewhere on the roster, Andy Martino of SNY provides an update on left-hander Sean Manaea. Martino says Manaea finished the season with his elbow feeling good and may not need surgery, though the final decision will wait until after a cool-down period.

Manaea began the season on the injured list due to an oblique strain. He was working back from that injury in June when a loose body was found in his elbow. Despite that elbow issue, he made it back from the IL in July.

His results from there weren’t great, though there was less concern under the hood. A 5.64 earned run average is obviously not good but his 28.5% strikeout rate and 4.6% walk rate were both strong. He allowed 13 home runs in just 60 2/3 innings, with a home run to flyball rate of 19.4% in that small sample. His 3.08 SIERA, a measure that corrects for such abnormalities, suggested his ERA would have been much better with some normalization in a larger sample size.

The Mets signed the lefty to a three-year, $75MM deal coming into this season. They will obviously want him to be fully healthy and back to his usual self next year, especially with questions all throughout the rest of their rotation. The fact that he’s trending towards not needing surgery is encouraging, though further updates should be forthcoming in the future.

Photo courtesy of Brad Mills, Imagn Images

MLBTR Podcast: Mike Elias On The State Of The Orioles

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias to discuss…

  • Elias’s promotion from general manager to president of baseball operations (1:45)
  • Why the Orioles underperformed in 2025 (3:30)
  • The club’s lack of investment in free agent pitching (5:25)
  • The decision making about playing time for prospects when they don’t find immediate big league success (9:20)
  • How Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo can co-exist on the roster (12:35)
  • Getting six prospects from the Padres in the Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano trade (14:50)
  • Trading Bryan Baker to the Rays for a draft pick (16:55)
  • Seeing the potential in O’Hearn before his breakout (18:45)

Plus, Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors joins the show to discuss…

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Tim Heitman, Imagn Images

Pete Alonso To Opt Out Of Mets Contract, Enter Free Agency

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Pete Alonso is returning to free agency, as the Mets first baseman told the New York Post’s Mike Puma and other reporters that he won’t be exercising his player option for the 2026 season.  Alonso will instead leave his $24MM salary on the table and head to the open market in search of a longer and more lucrative deal.

The announcement came just minutes after the Mets’ season-ending 4-0 loss to the Marlins, which officially eliminated New York from postseason contention and put a coda on the club’s devastating second-half swoon.  Given the timing, Alonso’s statement adds to the sting of a dismal day for Mets fans, yet there wasn’t much point in Alonso waiting a few more weeks to make what seemed like an obvious decision.  Even dating back to when Alonso signed his two-year, $54MM deal last February, there was little doubt that he would be re-entering free agency again this winter.

Over 709 plate appearance and a full 162 games played, Alonso hit .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs.  This is the best batting average Alonso has posted over his seven Major League seasons, as well as his second-best slugging percentage.  Alonso’s 141 wRC+ is tied for his second-highest career mark in that category.  His 144 wRC+ from his 53-homer rookie year in 2019 remains his career peak, but the 141 number is well above the 121 wRC+ Alonso delivered over the 2023-24 seasons.

The “Polar Bear” had a lower walk rate in 2025 than in 2024, but he also reduced his strikeout rate.  His already-strong hard-hit ball rate jumped up to elite levels, as his 54.3% hard-hit ball rate ranks in the 96th percentile of all batters.  It all adds up to a stronger platform year for Alonso than his free agent trip last year, when his market never seemed to gel and he ended up settling for his short-term deal with New York.  Alonso is also no longer eligible to receive a qualifying offer, so teams will no longer have to surrender any draft compensation to make a signing.

Some questions will still linger for potential suitors.  Alonso turns 31 in December, and he remains a first base-only player whose limited glovework is rated negatively by public defensive metrics.  Several clubs will be wary about making a huge financial commitment to a player in his 30s who might already be best suited to DH duty, which automatically puts some limits on Alonso’s market.

Still, Alonso’s power is hard to ignore, and he would provide an immediate jolt to any lineup in search of a hitting upgrade.  Agent Scott Boras has a long history of eventually finding his contracts for his clients, even if perhaps they first need to take a shorter-term, opt-out laden deal like Alonso did last winter as a stop-gap.

Alonso famously turned down a seven-year, $158MM extension offer from the Mets back in 2023 (when Alonso wasn’t represented by Boras), and he has already made $50.5MM over the 2024-25 seasons — a $20.5MM salary in his final arbitration-eligible year of 2024, and a $20MM salary and $10MM signing bonus in 2025.  In that sense, Alonso needs to land a five-year, $107.5MM contract this winter to at least match the money left on the table in that extension offer, and a five/$107.5 deal certainly seems feasible in the wake of his big 2025 numbers.

Could another reunion with the Mets be in the offing?  While owner Steve Cohen is known to be a big Alonso fan, he was public about his displeasure with the nature of negotiations with Alonso’s camp last offseason, and it looked for a while like Alonso would be signing elsewhere.  Who knows if any hard feelings may still exist, and this winter, it certainly seems less likely that Alonso will be willing to settle for much below his asking price.  If Cohen or president of baseball operations David Stearns continue to hold a hard line on their valuation of an Alonso contract, Alonso’s time in Queens might finally be up.

The Mets’ collapse could work for or against Alonso’s chances of a return.  On the one hand, Alonso was clearly not part of the problem, so Cohen might decide to throw financial caution to the wind to bring back a fan favorite slugger.  On the other hand, the Mets might prefer to direct their biggest spending towards their larger need of pitching help, and address first base either with a lower-cost acquisition or an internal answer.  Mark Vientos looked like a possible in-house replacement at first base after his breakout 2024 campaign, but Vientos’ lackluster 2025 numbers raised several doubts about his viability as a long-term part of New York’s lineup.

Poll: Who’s The Best Pure Hitter In This Winter’s Free Agent Class?

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In the context of free agency, MLB players are typically graded on their overall long-term value and earning power. MLBTR’s annual Top 50 MLB Free Agents list is typically topped by all-around star talents who are in the midst of their prime years. Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, and Aaron Judge are outliers even among top-of-the-line free agents, but previous years saw well-rounded hitters still in their prime with substantial defensive value like Carlos Correa, J.T. Realmuto, and Anthony Rendon viewed as the top hitters available in free agency.

With all respect to Realmuto, however, even his best years haven’t seen him offer the kind of offensive firepower that someone like Nelson Cruz could offer within that very same free agent class. If a team was looking specifically for a impactful addition to the lineup, they might not necessarily be drawn to the top free agent position player. This winter, there’s little question about who the top free agent position player will be in terms of overall value and earning power. With that said, there’s a number of extremely impactful hitters who figure to be available. Who’s the best choice to transform a lineup? A look at some of the options:

Kyle Tucker

Ever since the Blue Jays signed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a massive extension shortly after Opening Day, there’s been virtually no debate who free agency’s top overall player would be this winter. Kyle Tucker spent years as a key cog in the Astros’ dynasty, and is one of the most impressive overall talents in the game at the moment. This ranking isn’t about earning power or even overall value, but Tucker remains one of the top players in the sport even when strictly looking at offensive production. Looking at his time in Chicago this year, the star outfielder has slashed .284/.394/.515 (153 wRC+) with more walks than strikeouts, 13 homers, and 18 steals across 72 games for a first-place Cubs team this year.

That’s a phenomenal performance, but Tucker has also been remarkably consistent throughout his career. Since his first full 162-game season in 2021, Tucker’s a 146 wRC+ hitter whose strikeout rate has always been below 16%. His walk rate has never fallen below 9%, and that combination of patience and contact ability is unmatched. Among the hitters with the 30 lowest strikeout rates in the sport, Tucker walks the most. Among the hitters with the 30 highest walk rates in the sport, Tucker strikes out the least. He’s the only player within the top 30 of both categories over the past five years, and he’s combined that with the power to hit 30 homers and the speed to steal 30 bases.

Pete Alonso

After finding an extremely soft market in free agency last year, Alonso returned to the Mets on a two-year deal that affords him the opportunity to opt out after the 2025 season. That opt-out opportunity seems certain to be exercised at this point, as Alonso has taken his game to the next level for his age-30 campaign. In 69 games this year, Alonso has slashed an incredible .293/.390/.570 (169 wRC+) in 72 games. In addition to his 17 home runs so far this year, Alonso’s floating a career-high 11.0% walk rate with his lowest strikeout rate (21.1%) since 2022 while swatting an NL-best 22 doubles.

Perhaps most exciting of all is that there’s some reason to believe he’s been even better than those numbers indicate. His 20.9% barrel rate is nothing short of absurd, his xwOBA is actually more than twenty points higher than his wOBA, and that .434 xwOBA is behind only Judge and Ohtani in the majors. He remains a limited defender who doesn’t excel at first base and will be returning to free agency at age 31, but none of that stops him from being one of the most dangerous hitters in the sport who would improve virtually any lineup.

Alex Bregman

Another star player who wound up signing a short-term deal this winter, Bregman took off early with the Red Sox and slashed .299/.385/.553 (158 wRC+) across 51 games while playing quality defense at third base. It was a hot enough start to raise the question of whether he’d consider opting out of the two years and $80MM remaining on his deal with the Red Sox this winter. That’s certainly still possible, but a “significant” quad strain has now sidelined him for the foreseeable future. A lengthy injury layoff could make Bregman hesitate to leave that much guaranteed money on the table, and this weekend’s blockbuster trade that sent Rafael Devers from the Red Sox to the Giants could leave Boston brass eager to keep their other star third baseman in the fold long-term.

Setting aside the possibility Bregman doesn’t even end up returning to the open market, it’s also worth noting that his underlying numbers aren’t as strong as his actual production so far this year. Bregman’s .331 BABIP this season is nearly fifty points higher than his career mark and with his strikeout rate the highest it’s been since 2018, it’s hard to imagine him maintaining his .385 on-base percentage long-term. Even so, Bregman’s looked rejuvenated in Boston after a down year during his final season in Houston. If he manages to return from injury looking strong, he’ll have put himself firmly in the conversation.

Kyle Schwarber

It’s been quite a while since Schwarber was available to teams in free agency, as what was at the time a career year in 2022 with the Nationals and Red Sox allowed him to land a four-year deal with the Phillies. Weak defense has pushed him into a full-time DH role over the years, but Schwarber’s bat has been everything Philadelphia could’ve hoped for when signing him. He’s slashed .224/.349/.494 (131 wRC+) with 153 homers in 538 games as a Phillie while walking at a 15.4% clip. That’s excellent offensive production, but what makes Schwarber truly stand out is the phenomenal walk year he’s in the midst of.

Through 71 games, 2025 has been the best season of Schwarber’s career by virtually every metric. He’s slashing .247/.379/.544 with a wRC+ of 155, his 16.2% walk rate is the fourth-highest figure in the majors this year, and he’s even cut his typically-high strikeout rate to a more manageable 26.1%, his lowest since 2019. He’s swatted 22 homers in 314 plate appearances as well, with a .297 ISO that trails only Judge, Ohtani, Cal Raleigh, and Corbin Carroll among qualified hitters this season. While he’ll be 33 next year, expected stats give no indication he’s at risk of dropping off, as his xwOBA has been almost 30 points higher than his actual wOBA this year.

Other Candidates

While Tucker, Alonso, Bregman, and Schwarber stand as the most likely candidates to enter free agency as the best hitter available, they’re far from the only possibilities. Paul Goldschmidt is a future Hall of Famer in the midst of a resurgent season at the plate, but he’ll be 38 next year and at risk of the sort of abrupt decline many hitters in their mid-to-late 30s face. Marcell Ozuna’s 145 wRC+ since the start of the 2023 season is the 11th-highest figure in all of baseball, but he’ll turn 35 this November and his power output has already dropped off considerably this year. Ryan O’Hearn has put up brilliant numbers for the Orioles this year with a 152 wRC+, but hasn’t shown an ability to hit lefties to this point in his career and lacks the track record of many of these other players.

Who do MLBTR readers think will be the most impactful pure hitter available in free agency this winter? Have your say in the poll below:

Who's The Best Pure Hitter In This Winter's Free Agent Class?
Kyle Tucker 72.97% (3,560 votes)
Kyle Schwarber 9.33% (455 votes)
Pete Alonso 8.87% (433 votes)
Alex Bregman 6.68% (326 votes)
Other (Specify In Comments) 2.15% (105 votes)
Total Votes: 4,879

Player Option/Opt-Out Update: April Edition

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The increasing popularity of opt-outs/player options as a means to close the gap in free agent signings and extensions has changed the face of free agency entirely. Not long ago, opt-outs were perks reserved for the game’s truly elite stars — a benefit to help differentiate nine-figure offers and secure the game’s top stars.

In 2025, they’re downright commonplace. Opt-out laden short-term deals have become a common alternative to the more conventional one-year pillow contract that a player in search of a rebound campaign might pursue. They’ll also provide a soft landing for a veteran whose market didn’t materialize as expected, even coming off a productive season. Some teams simply use them as a means of sweetening the pot even when negotiating with mid- and lower-tier free agents. The Royals gave opt-outs/player options to both Chris Stratton and Hunter Renfroe two offseasons ago. The Reds did the same with Emilio Pagan and Nick Martinez. Tucker Barnhart, Trey Mancini and Ross Stripling are just a few of the other recent examples of solid but non-star veterans to land such clauses in their free agent contracts.

At their core, opt-out provisions aren’t particularly different from club options that have been widely accepted as commonplace for decades. Teams guarantee a certain number of dollars over a certain number of years, and if the player continues performing at a high enough level, they’ll exercise a club option that’s typically locked in at a below-market price. If not, the player will be bought out and sent back to free agency. Player options and opt-outs are merely the inverse; the player/agent negotiate a certain length and annual value but reserve the right to opt back into the market if the player continues to perform at a high level. It’s two sides of the same coin, one favoring the team and the other favoring the player.

There are 16 players around the league this year who’ll have the right to opt into free agency at season’s end, depending on their performance. (Conversely, there are 27 players with club options.) We’ll periodically take a look at this group over the course of the season, as their performances will have a major impact on the 2025-26 market. For more context, you can check out our full list of 2025-26 MLB free agents as well as the first installment of our recent 2025-26 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings, wherein we rank the top 10 free agents in terms of earning power. Darragh McDonald, Anthony Franco and I recently discussed the decision process behind those rankings in the latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast.

Onto this year’s group!

Pete Alonso, 1B, Mets | One year, $24MM remaining

Alonso looked like a good bet to opt out from the moment he agreed to terms on his front-loaded two-year, $54MM contract. That he’s been one of the best hitters on the planet in the season’s first three weeks only improves that likelihood. The 30-year-old slugger is slashing a comical .365/.474/.730 with five homers, eight doubles and more walks (12) than strikeouts (10) through his first 78 turns at the plate. Alonso is chasing pitches off the plate at a career-low 19.1% rate and is sporting the best contact rate of his career at 82.8%. He’s doing all of that with career-best marks in average exit velocity (96.3 mph), barrel rate (24.1%) and hard-hit rate (61.1%). Alonso has been an absolute monster, and the fact that he can’t receive a qualifying offer — players can only receive one in their career, and he rejected one last November — is a cherry on top of his dominant output.

Cody Bellinger, OF/1B, Yankees | One year, $25MM remaining (Bellinger receives $5MM buyout if he opts out)

Bellinger posted All-Star numbers with the 2023 Cubs, signed back for three years with a pair of opt-outs and hit well in 2024 — just not to his 2023 standard. Traded to the Yankees this past offseason, many thought he was primed for a rebound because of the favorable dimensions at Yankee Stadium. It hasn’t played out that way. Through his first 62 plate appearances, Bellinger looks more like the lost version of himself from 2021-22 than the strong performer we saw in ’23-’24. He’s hitting .185/.242/.296 with what would be career-worst strikeout and swinging-strike rates of 29% and 15.2%, respectively. When he’s made contact, it’s been loud (90.8 mph average exit velocity, 53.5% hard-hit rate) — and there’s still plenty of time to turn things around. It’s not the start he or the Yankees hoped for, however.

Shane Bieber, RHP, Guardians | One year, $16MM remaining (Bieber receives $4MM buyout if he opts out)

Bieber has yet to pitch this season as he rehabs from last year’s Tommy John surgery. Cleveland has yet to place him on the 60-day injured list, which could offer some optimism regarding his timetable for a return, but he’s not on a minor league rehab assignment yet. At last check, he was targeting a return around the All-Star break.

Alex Bregman, 3B, Red Sox | Two years, $80MM remaining (Bregman can opt out again after 2026)

Bregman has started his Boston tenure on a tear, hitting .321/.365/.564 with four big flies in 85 plate appearances. He’s been 62% better than average, by measure of wRC+, but there are still some of the same red flags he displayed early in the 2024 season. During his peak, Bregman was one of the sport’s toughest strikeouts and showed outstanding plate discipline. From 2018-23, he walked in 13.8% of his plate appearances against a puny 12.3% strikeout rate. Bregman’s walk rate fell off a cliff last season, and it hasn’t recovered so far in 2024. He’s drawn only four free passes (4.7%). More concerning, he’s fanned 18 times, leading to what would be a career-worst 21.2% strikeout rate. Bregman’s chase rate is down, and he’s still making elite contact within the strike zone, but he’s making contact on a career-low 56.5% of his swings on balls off the plate. If he keeps hitting like this, it probably won’t matter, but it’s something to watch as the season continues.

Edwin Diaz, RHP, Mets | Two years, $37MM remaining (Diaz can opt out again after 2026)

Diaz had a nice return from a 2023 season lost to a knee injury in 2024, pitching to a 3.52 ERA with a 38.9% strikeout rate against a 9.3% walk rate. It wasn’t quite his usual level of dominance, but most relievers would happily take a 39% punchout rate in a “down” season. Things aren’t going as well in 2025. Diaz’s four-seamer is sitting at a career-low 96.4 mph, per Statcast. That’s down 1.1 mph from last year’s mark and 2.5 mph from his 99.1 mph peak in 2022. If he were still overpowering opponents, it wouldn’t matter much, but Diaz has been tagged for five runs on six hits and five walks in 6 2/3 frames. That’s a 16% walk rate, and he’s already tossed four wild pitches — more than he did in 53 2/3 innings a year ago. The caveat with everyone on this list is that we’re all of 11-12% through the season, but the early trendlines aren’t good for Diaz.

Jack Flaherty, RHP, Tigers | One year, $10MM remaining (increases to $20MM once Flaherty makes 15 starts)

Flaherty’s heater is down nearly a mile per hour, and his walk rate is up from 5.9% to 10.3% … but that’s in a span of 21 1/3 innings. He’s still getting strikeouts at a plus level (28.7%), and the bottom-line results are good: 2.53 ERA. Flaherty seems healthy, which will be a big factor for him — both in terms of boosting his stock ahead of a potential return to free agency and in boosting his 2026 salary if he winds up forgoing the opt-out opportunity. If he can deliver a third straight season of 27-plus starts and a second straight year with a plus strikeout rate and low-3.00s (or even mid-3.00s) ERA, the market will likely reward him with the long-term deal that eluded him this past winter. Flaherty doesn’t turn 30 until October. He’ll have a chance at a deal ranging from four to six years in length if he comes close to replicating his 2024 performance. One potential downside: he was traded last summer and thus ineligible to receive a qualifying offer. If the Tigers contend all season, as expected, they’ll be able to make Flaherty a QO if he opts out.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr., OF, D-backs | One year, $18MM remaining

Though he’s one of the most consistent hitters in the sport, Gurriel is out to a woeful start in 2025. His D-backs are red-hot, but their current win streak comes in spite of an anemic .145/.176/.304 start from their everyday left fielder. Gurriel has some of the best contact skills in MLB, fanning in only 17.3% of his plate appearances and making contact on just shy of 90% of his swings in the zone dating back to 2022. He’s punched out in what would be a career-low 13.5% of his plate appearances this year, but he’s staring down a .121 average on balls in play. He should be due for a course correction, but it’s worth noting that he’s hitting more fly-balls and fewer line-drives than ever, which is going to naturally suppress his BABIP a bit (although certainly not to this extent). Gurriel is owed $13MM in 2026 and has a $5MM buyout on a $14MM club option for 2027. He’d need to be confident he could top not just $18MM but probably that he’d top two years and $27MM; the hefty nature of that buyout makes him a net $9MM decision for the D-backs in 2027, which seems like a price they’ll be willing to pay.

Ha-Seong Kim, SS, Rays | One year, $16MM remaining

Kim is still finishing up the rehab from last October’s shoulder surgery. He’s expected back mid-to-late May, which would give him about four months to prove he’s back to form. A healthy Kim would’ve been a coveted free agent who could’ve commanded four or more years in free agency. A plus defender at three positions and a plus runner with enough power to pop 10 to 20 homers annually, Kim will be in high demand next offseason if the shoulder injury doesn’t prove a major drain on his offensive capabilities.

Seth Lugo, RHP, Royals | One year, $15MM remaining

Lugo’s rise from reliever to starter to Cy Young finalist has been remarkable. He’s gotten decent results in 2025, with a 3.86 ERA in his first 23 1/3 innings, but his strikeout and walk rates are nowhere near last year’s marks. After fanning 21.7% of his opponents against a pristine 5.7% mark last year, the 35-year-old Lugo currently sports respective rates of 17% and 9.6%. His velocity is below par (92.2 mph average fastball) but right in line with last year’s levels. A year and $15MM should be the floor for a healthy Lugo, even if he doesn’t repeat his brilliant 2024 season. That’s the same mark that older starters like Charlie Morton, Justin Verlander, Alex Cobb and Max Scherzer (well, $15.5MM) received this past offseason. The Royals could tag him with a qualifying offer if he opts out, which would give him a tougher call on a one-year deal that should be worth more than $21MM. That said, if Lugo comes anywhere close to last year’s results, he’d turn that down in pursuit of a multi-year deal.

A.J. Minter, LHP, Mets | One year, $11MM remaining

Minter’s 94.3 mph average fastball is a career-low, but it’s only narrowly shy of his 2024 mark (94.5 mph). It’s feasible that as he further distances himself from last year’s hip surgery, that number could tick up, too. He’s pitched 8 1/3 innings, allowed a pair of runs on five hits and a walk, and punched out a dozen hitters. That’s a whopping 38.7% strikeout rate. So far, Minter is missing more bats within the strike zone than ever before; opponents have an awful 73% contact rate on his pitches in the zone (compared to the 85% league average). Minter landed two years and $22MM with an opt-out when he was coming off hip surgery. He should be able to top a year and $11MM so long as he’s healthy and pitches to his typical levels. So far, so good.

Frankie Montas, RHP, Mets | One year, $17MM remaining

Montas has yet to pitch in 2025 after suffering a lat strain during spring training. He’s yet to begin a minor league rehab stint but, like Bieber, also has not been placed on the 60-day injured list yet. The size of the Mets’ commitment to Montas this winter registered as a bit of a surprise even when he was thought to be healthy. He’ll need a strong few months to walk away from $17MM guaranteed.

Tyler O’Neill, OF, Orioles | Two years, $33MM remaining

The biggest question with O’Neill is whether he can stay healthy enough to position himself for an opt-out. He’s mashing with a .265/.339/.490 slash and two homers through 56 plate appearances. (One of those big flies extended his ludicrous MLB record of six straight Opening Days with a long ball.) He’s also missed the past couple games due to neck discomfort. O’Neill has never played in more than 138 games in a season, and he’s only twice reached 100 games in a year. (He did play 50 of 60 games in the shortened 2020 season.) O’Neill’s 21.4% strikeout rate would be a career-low, but his actual contact rate and swinging-strike rate aren’t career-best marks. It’s hard to see him sustaining that career-low strikeout rate as a result, but O’Neill’s power is substantial enough that he can be a productive hitter even running strikeout rates approaching/exceeding 30%.

Joc Pederson, DH/OF, Rangers | One year, $18.5MM remaining (Rangers can counter opt-out by exercising 2027 club option for $18.5MM)

Signed to help the Rangers remedy their 2024 ineptitude against fastballs, Pederson has instead turned in a career-worst performance against heaters (and every other offering). It’s only 16 games, but Pederson has collected just one hit against fastballs in 2025 — a single. It’s an alarming development for a hitter who carries a lifetime .244 average and .521 slugging percentage against four-seamers. Pederson has compiled an unfathomable .060/.161/.080 slash in 57 plate appearances. He’s still making a fair bit of hard contact, but most of it is resulting in grounders. His 55.6% ground-ball rate and 2.8% (!) line-drive rates are career-worst marks. There’s no earthly way he can continue to struggle this much, but he’ll need quite the turnaround for that opt-out provision to come into play.

Wandy Peralta, LHP, Padres | Two years, $8.9MM remaining (Peralta can opt out again after 2026)

Peralta posted a career-worst 13.6% strikeout rate in year one of his four-year pact with San Diego in 2024. He passed on his first opt-out opportunity, and understandably so. It’s early, but the veteran lefty has more than doubled last year’s awful 8.3% swinging-strike rate, which now sits at 16.8% through 8 1/3 innings. Peralta is generating chases on an eye-popping 40% of his pitches off the plate, and his opponents’ 44.4% contact rate on those swings is the second-best mark of his career. He’s all but shelved his four-seamer, is barely using his slider, and is leaning hard into a sinker/changeup combo. He won’t sustain a 1.08 ERA, of course, but if he keeps piling up grounders and whiffs, he’ll have a good case to opt out, even at age 34.

Trevor Story, SS, Red Sox | Two years, $55MM remaining

It’s hard to believe we’re already in year four of Story’s six-year deal with Boston — in part because we simply haven’t seen him in a Red Sox uniform all that often. The former Rockies All-Star played in only one-third of the team’s games through the first three years of the contract. Injuries have decimated Story in recent years, and he produced a middling .232/.296/.397 line when healthy enough to play from 2022-24. He’s out to a much better start in 2025, playing in 20 games (already just six shy of last year’s total) and recording a .299/.325/.442 line with three homers. A 3.8% walk rate, 30% strikeout rate and .400 BABIP through 80 plate appearances don’t bode especially well, but to his credit, Story is torching the ball; he’s averaging 90.3 mph off the bat and has even better marks in barrel rate (11.3%) and hard-hit rate (54.7%). It’s hard to see him turning down the two years and $55MM after he’s been injured so much in Boston, but he’s enjoying a fine start to the year.

Robert Suarez, RHP, Padres | Two years, $16MM remaining

Suarez’s name popped up late in the offseason rumor mill, but he was always going to be a tough trade candidate because of this two-year player option. If he performed well, he’d opt out, and if he struggled and/or got hurt, the acquiring team would be saddled with two unwanted years. Such is the nature of trading anyone with a player option/opt-out. Suarez stayed put, and the Padres have to be thrilled. He’s 8-for-8 in save opportunities, hasn’t allowed a run in nine innings, and is boasting a 31.3% strikeout rate against a 6.3% walk rate. That strikeout rate is supported by a huge 16% swinging-strike rate. Suarez looks unhittable right now, just as he has in the past when at his best. There’s a lot of season left, and things can go south in a hurry for relievers in particular, but a player couldn’t ask for a better start to a platform season.

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