Pete Alonso open to some DH time in 2026

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.