Sep 16, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) hits a solo home run during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Padres Named Top Landing Spot for 38-Homer All-Star Heading to Free Agency

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By Aaron Coloma | Last updated Oct 3, 2025 12:30 PM ET

Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller listed the San Diego Padres as one of the top landing spots for New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who announced he would opt out of the final year of his contract after the Mets missed the postseason.

The Padres could have a vacancy at first base if they decide not to re-sign Luis Arraez, who played 117 games at first this season, and may decide to pursue the free agency class's best first baseman. Alonso has slugged 30 or more homers in each of his MLB seasons, excluding the shortened 2020 season, and has stayed fit in both of the last two seasons, playing 162 games in each.

"But after a season in which only the Pirates and Cardinals hit fewer home runs than them, and after a five-year stretch in which the Padres have gotten 15 fewer home runs from their first basemen than MLB's second-worst team in that department, can they afford to penny-pinch here?" wrote Miller.

"Alonso has out-homered the Padres leader in dingers by a margin of at least five in now four consecutive seasons. And in what has been the fantasy equivalent of a 'stars and scrubs' approach they've been taking with their lineup in recent years, he could be the star who tips the scales in their favor."

Miller also brought up the option of moving Jake Cronenworth to first base, where he has played in the past, and signing a middling option at second, such as Gleyber Torres, whose deal with the Detroit Tigers is set to expire after the season.

Between the two, though, Alonso is easily the better and more exciting of the stars, and would be a huge addition to a team who has struggled for power over the course of the season. The Padres are in the bottom 10 teams in the league in terms of slugging percentage, and only had two players reach 20 homers this season.

If the Padres do manage to land Alonso, they'd be getting a huge improvement over Arraez, and could challenge the Los Angeles Dodgers for top spot in the NL West, which they haven't won since 2006.