A Polar Bear in Washington? Assessing Pete Alonso's fit with Nationals

The Washington Nationals are in the midst of a rebuild, but with young stars like outfielders Dylan Crews and James Wood flashing promise this past season, the timeline may have to be sped up a bit.

Washington's pitching staff turned a corner despite the payroll being hampered by former ace Stephen Strasburg's gargantuan contract ($35M per year until 2027), so now the organization's focus can shift to position players.

But with money to spend this offseason, which free agent should Washington general manager Mike Rizzo turn his attention to?

ESPN's David Schoenfield suggested former New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.

That's a mighty big swing for the fences, but it might be worth it for Washington to sign a division rival's star in the long run.

Alonso made $20.5M in 2024 with New York, and Schoenfield predicted a deal with Washington would fall in the ballpark of $159M over six years.

The Nationals were next-to-last in home runs hit in 2024, per ESPN, and Alonso would boost those numbers considerably. He hit .240 with 34 home runs, 88 RBI and 146 hits this year, and that was considered a down season.