
The Boston Red Sox need power, and Pete Alonso certainly checks that box.
Alonso, the five-time All-Star first baseman, is the New York Mets' all-time home run leader with 264 blasts, despite playing only seven seasons in the majors thus far. He hit 38 long balls this season, 13 more than anyone on the Red Sox roster.
There are some obvious complications with an Alonso pursuit for Boston, namely what it would mean for Alex Bregman's potential return. But at this early stage of the offseason, it looks as though we can at least leave the door open.
On Thursday, insider Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic wrote that she believes the Red Sox will make a push for Alonso, but wasn't sure they'd be willing to meet his eventual asking price.
"I do think the Red Sox will be in on Alonso. At the end-of-season news conference, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow noted on more than one occasion the need for more power in the lineup. Throughout the season, it was clear manager Alex Cora wished the lineup had more thump, noting the difficulty of consistently stringing together hits," McCaffrey wrote.
"He’s not a perfect fit, though. He will be 31 in December and likely command a monster deal. He’s reportedly seeking a seven-year deal, one likely north of $175 million. If obtained by Boston, he likely would be shifted to designated hitter at some point during the contract. How he would fit alongside Casas, if Casas remains, is something the Red Sox would need to explore."
Frankly, there's been a lot of smoke about Alonso expecting a megadeal like the one McCaffrey details, but not a ton of evidence that he's going to get it. Yes, the lack of a qualifying offer this offseason and the fact that he had a strong year could boost his market, but last winter, the Mets showed no desire to pay him even $100 million.
If there's some sort of middle ground between the two-year pillow contract Alonso got last winter and the seven-year monstrosity McCaffrey hints at above, the Red Sox should absolutely stay involved in the slugger's market.
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