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Free Agent Profile: Examining the fit for Pete Alonso on the Blue Jays roster

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First baseman Pete Alonso has officially landed on the free agent market.

Alonso turned down the $21.05 million qualifying offer from the New York Mets earlier this offseason, a standard move to pursue a maximum contract while testing free agency. The Mets will attempt to retain Alonso, however, various clubs have an interest in the hard-hitting right-handed batter. 

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Pete Alonso’s career so far

Alonso has been the battery of the Mets lineup for years now. Known as the “Polar Bear”, his tenure in New York has been individually fulfilling. The slugging-right-handed hitter has played six seasons in the Major Leagues and has been a force on the diamond since his rookie campaign.

In 2019, Alonso captured the Rookie of the Year Award in the NL for his league-leading 53 home runs and .941 OPS. While he hasn’t quite reached the same OPS number since then, Alonso has been a power bat the Mets can always turn to, evident by his +30 home runs each campaign (outside of the shortened 2020 season). 

In 2022, he led the Major Leagues in RBIs (131) and the NL in intentional walks (16), with opposing pitchers not too keen to face the slugger. Since his rookie season, Alonso ranks fourth in terms of fWAR (17.3) among Major League first basemen and his 131 wRC+ ranks him fifth on the list. He slots a few spots ahead with his .514 SLG, ranking third, and his 226 home runs leads all in the category – another point to showcase his true power. 

At only 29 years of age, the all-star has more intriguing statistics to take into consideration and is heavily anticipated for the years to come.

This past season, Alonso showcased how important of a player he was for the New York Mets; so important, that he suited up in every game. 

The first baseman slashed .240/.329/.459, with an OPS of .788, recording recorded 34 home runs and 88 RBIs. His at-bats were quality and controlled with good pitch recognition. Defensively, he posted a .995 fielding percentage and took a slight step back with his -3 DRS but overall, you aren’t signing Alonso for his glove at the end of the day. 

Through six seasons, Alonso has been named to the Major League Baseball All-Star game four times and has won the Home Run Derby on two separate occasions. 

Alonso’s 2024 postseason

The Mets took the long road in the 2024 postseason. They battled and defeated the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies in rounds one and two of the postseason respectively. 

The Mets berthed from the Wild Card Round to the NLCS where they fell short to the eventual World Series Champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Alonso’s performance was advertised, bringing intensity and production to the field. The veteran infielder had 44 at-bats and produced 12 hits, four home runs, 10 RBIs, 12 walks, and collected 25 total bases. 

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The right-handed slugger slashed a .273/.431/.568 and produced a 176 wRC+ through the small sample size. The reason the Mets advanced past the Brewers was that Alonso smashed a three-run home run late in Game #3 when the club was down 2-0 in the ninth inning. 

Does Alonso fit in the future plans of the Blue Jays?

Yes and no.

Toronto lacked offence this past season. The Blue Jays ranked 26th in home runs (156) last season and fans had to witness the Jays struggle at the dish time and time again, wasting strong outings by their starters. 

Alonso could fit in as the Blue Jays everyday first baseman and potential three or four-hole hitter in the lineup., forming a one-two punch with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. This would be similar to the old Jose Bautista/Josh Donaldson duo in some ways in terms of power and putting some fear into opposing pitchers.  This would be beneficial on the power aspect, especially if the Blue Jays are unsuccessful in the Juan Soto push. 

The caveat to this signing is that Guerrero would need to move over to third base defensively, as Alonso has not played anywhere else but first base throughout his career and the likelihood of either being a standalone DH is low. Guerrero showcased that he could handle the hot corner at times this past season but he has shown better stats on the right side of the infield.

This is where the ‘no’ portion of this argument would slide in, as the fitment-wise on the field for Alonso does not make sense unless the Jays plan to use Guerrero at third base moving forward or he is traded/walks in free agency this upcoming season – both of which have their flaws. 

The addition of Pete Alonso in Toronto would assist the team in staying afloat in the AL East in 2025 because of his sheer offensive value but in terms of where he would fit in on the roster raises some question marks on the homegrown talent’s future with the Blue Jays. 

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