One day after missing out on free agent target Kyle Schwarber, the Boston Red Sox have missed out on free agent target Pete Alonso, who is signing a five-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

The Orioles also missed out on Schwarber, but they get Alonso on a deal worth $155 million.

Impact on the Red Sox

The impact here is two-fold:

1) The Red Sox miss out on a chance to get better.

2) A division-rival of the Red Sox just did get better.

Let's address point one:

The Red Sox had been linked to Alonso all offseason, and he made sense, given that Boston has said they want to secure a power bat. Alonso is certainly that, as he's hit 34 homers or more in each season since his debut in 2019 (except for the COVID-shortened 2020 season). He hit 38 homers this past season for the Mets while also driving in 126. He led the National League in doubles with 41 and would have been a major presence in the Boston lineup.

To point two:

While the Orioles finished last in the American League East in 2025, let's not forget they won 101 games in 2023 and made the playoffs in 2024. With Alonso, Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman, they have one of the best trios in the American League, and they will be a much better team in 2026.

And that's not even to remember how good the Blue Jays, Yankees and Rays are.

Impact on the rest of the offseason

After missing out on Schwarber and Alonso, Boston is now more desperate to solidify a big bat. Alex Bregman remains a primary target, but the team has been linked to Ketel Marte on the trade market, as well as free agents Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suarez.

Perhaps this move will push them further toward one of those moves.

Impact on Triston Casas

Casas is still recovering from a gruesome leg injury that ended his 2025 season in May, and there's no timetable yet on his return to the field. However, if the Sox are unable to secure a first baseman in free agency, Casas obviously has a better chance of regaining a foothold at first base.

The former first-round pick looked like the first baseman of the future but has had trouble staying healthy, which is part of the reason (presumably) why the organization has been looking to the outside.

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