The MLB first baseman market has been a whirlwind lately. Josh Naylor was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Carlos Santana returned to the Cleveland Guardians to fill in Naylor’s spot; the Houston Astros locked in Christian Walker, plus, the New York Yankees surprisingly went for Paul Goldschmidt on Saturday too. And while these teams just addressed their team needs, they, in turn, spewed trouble for Pete Alonso and his free agency.

Alonso is easily one of the best first basemen in the free market today. He is coming off a strong season too, with 34 home runs for the New York Mets. Over the six years in New York, he clinched 226 home runs. However, despite that, right now, Pete Alonso is in a major pickle—he has probably nowhere to go! The Yankees seemed to be a great landing spot, but given they blew past their budget getting Alonso, it seems out of the question. However, Pete still has one door open, and the one he was willing to close!

Pete Alonso in uncertainty as the market closes on him

Jim Bowden mentioned that right now, there is ‘no market’ for Pete Alonso. The Yankees and Astros have already filled in their lineup; the only other option for Alonso apart from the New York Mets is the Seattle Mariners, and apparently, they are not planning on getting him, given they don’t have the resources to sign Alonso. Bowden suggested, “If I’m Pete Alonso, I’m going to put my tail in between my legs and go back to the Mets. And say, I accept the last offer you put on the table.” Bowden further noted that he would be surprised, rather stunned if the ‘polar bear’ doesn’t ultimately end up in the Mets.

“I don’t think he has any options… he’s got to take less money,” mentioned Bowden, given the Mets also have the option of moving Mark Vientos to first base if Alonso’s price doesn’t go down. But what Pete Alonso does remains to be seen—whether he signs a long-term deal or takes Steve Cohen’s last offer. Moreover, Pete can opt for what many Scott Boras clients do—take a two-year deal with an opt-out.

This way, he can get back to the market next offseason when the situation is more first baseman-friendly. On the other side, the Mets had another impactful signing this week.

The New York Mets are re-signing Sean Manaea

The New York Mets are also really making a splash this off-season. They re-signed left-handed Sean Manaea to a three-year, $75 million deal, and Jeff Passan broke the news. Manaea’s return is after he proved he is worth it, after a stellar 2024 with the New York Mets. He had struggled with the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants in 2022 and 2023. But in New York, he thrived, with a career-high of 181.2 innings pitched, a 3.47 ERA, 3.83 FIP, and a 1.08 WHIP.

Manaea got a strikeout rate of 24.9%, an exit velocity of 88.6 MPH, and the ability to keep the hitters in check. This didn’t happen overnight; after coming to the New York Mets, key adjustments needed to be made. He lowered his arm angle from 28 degrees in 2023 to 22 degrees in 2024, sacrificed velocity, and in turn, his pitches gained more movement.

At 33, Manaea’s age does raise minor concerns, however, his performance really talks, and hence, the Mets signed him. He will likely slot behind Kodai Senfa and provide stability along with Clay Holmes. So, do you think Pete Alonso should try and go back to the Mets? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.