Pete Alonso Reportedly Has Red Sox ‘High On His List’

On Saturday, The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham published his weekend notes column on the Red Sox.

A day away from Hall of Fame announcements and two days away from the annual Winter Meetings, Abraham spent most of the column talking about both Roger Clemens’ candidacy for Cooperstown, along with whispers on what he’s hearing from around the world of free agency in baseball.

But it was this nugget he had on Mets free agent slugger Pete Alonso that stuck with me the most:

“Pete Alonso seems like a perfect fit for the Sox. He’s a righthanded hitting first baseman with tremendous power who thrived in a big market. His wife, Haley, is a Boston native who grew up in Quincy. The couple met when Alonso was playing in the Cape Cod League. Alonso has told friends the Sox are high on his list.”

Abraham went on to say Alonso is projected to land a four- or five-year deal worth somewhere in the ballpark of $28 million a year. Both the contract term and the dollar amount are lower than originally anticipated, especially when compared to similar contracts given to first basemen in recent years, and neither figure comes out of thin air from a reporter of Abraham’s caliber.

With Winter Meetings nearing, some level-setting appears to be underway between Alonso and his representatives.

As recently as Monday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan said this on Threads about Alonso’s free agency:

“Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso: Both were free agents last winter. Both produced well. Both opted out of deals that didn’t reach expectations. And now both are faced with trying to get contracts that better align with their numbers. With the number of teams seeking a middle-of-the-order bat, the chances are good, though both are waiting for a team to step to the forefront.”

Alonso’s projected contracts have varied, with previous reports suggesting $150-$210 million over five to seven years.

Could Alonso’s willingness to sign a shorter-term deal at a lower dollar amount signal that the 30-year-old recognizes Fenway Sports Group’s self-imposed spending limits and wants to be in Boston badly enough to leave money on the table?

If Alonso signs under these terms, could that free the front office to focus on re-signing Alex Bregman to the long-term deal he’s seeking and strengthen the team’s core?

As we all know, this ownership group can afford to spend like drunken sailors if they’d like. They just choose not to.

If Alonso is committed to Boston and values a winning roster, this could finalize the deal before spring training.

Abraham notes that Alonso doesn’t fully align with the team-building philosophy Craig Breslow and Alex Cora have outlined, as both want the Red Sox to be stronger defensively, more athletic, and to feature a versatile lineup. They have also repeatedly emphasized the value of multiple players at DH.

Still, the team would likely find a way to utilize Alonso’s 6-foot-3 frame and 23.3 career WAR.

Appearing in all 162 games for the second consecutive season, Alonso’s league-leading 41 doubles paired beautifully with 38 homers and 126 RBI for the Mets in his seventh major league season, his fifth as an All-Star. He finished 2025 with the highest batting average of his career at .272 and the second-highest OPS at .871.

That’ll play for a lineup that ran out of gas last October at Yankee Stadium.

Alonso, a two-time Home Run Derby champion, has 11 homers, 27 hits, 31 RBI, and 23 runs in 32 career games against the Yankees.

He’s unafraid of the pinstripes.

He’s a fan of the Boston area.

His wife grew up less than 10 miles from Fenway Park.

He’s seemingly willing to take a little bit less money than originally reported.

The Red Sox seem poised to invest in bats over arms.

It’s all making too much sense.

It’s time for the “Interest Kings” to get more than interested in “Polar Bear.”

Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.