The Boston Red Sox could be on the hunt for a first baseman when the 2025 campaign ends. Nathaniel Lowe has been a stabilizing force for the infield, and is hitting .286 with the Sox, but his pair of home runs with the club and a 0.1 bWAR on the season (between the Red Sox and Nationals) make him a potential stopgap solution rather than the long term answer Boston will surely be looking for.
To top things off, the free agent market will have a few exciting names to consider at the position, including Josh Naylor, Ryan O’Hearn, and even Wilmer Flores. Triston Casas remains hopeful that he’ll be ready for Opening Day, but the early prognosis wasn’t all that sunny.
Whether Casas is ready or not, the name that will almost certainly be one of the top targets for many clubs (the Sox included) is Pete Alonso. Alonso has been linked to Boston in free agency rumors before, and conversations will almost certainly dance to the same tune this winter. The slugger has bested his All Star walk year last season, and officially announced that he will opt out of his contract with the Mets after their devastating second-half collapse and playoff whiff. Unfortunately, pursuing the Polar Bear is fraught with danger, one issue among them is the Yankees’ presence in competition for his services.
The Yankees signed Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year deal last winter, and the 38-year old has delivered well in pinstripes. The problem with resigning the fielder is his age, alongside a glut of younger talent to consider in both free agency and the trade market. Joe Benigno, a longtime sports radio personality, was recently quotes saying “The Yankees need a first baseman, and if you tell me they won’t go after Pete you’re out of your mind.”
Among many clubs vying for Pete Alonso’s skillset, the Red Sox and Yankees have to be near the top
Pete Alonso says he will opt out and become a free agent this offseason
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) September 28, 2025
On his future with the Mets: "Playing for this organization, this city - they've continued to believe in me. I love playing here. There's some great guys in this clubhouse, some great people on the staff.… pic.twitter.com/Lpa32DEEno
Alonso seemingly faltered in his pursuit of a big payday last offseason thanks in large part to the Juan Soto sweepstakes, but this year he is the big fish (depending on what transpires with Alex Bregman, of course). MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today suggested in July that as many as eight teams will be in the hunt for Alonso this winter, making a big spending organization like the Yankees a definite standout as a potential landing spot, much to the chagrin of Boston fans.
It's worth noting that Boston isn’t likely to actually be in the Alonso sweepstakes if a reunion with Bregman takes place after the close of business on 2025. Peter Abraham, a Red Sox insider with The Boston Globe, floated a two year extension beyond the remaining two on Bregman’s contract, delivering a total of $150 million over that four year period plus bonuses and other incentives, a plan that just might work to give Bregman a home in Boston for much of his remaining career.
The Red Sox brass haven’t been in the habit of flashing the cash in recent years, so if an extension for Bregman does pan out, fans shouldn’t expect to see Alonso also make the move over to New England. Even so, While Alonso would absolutely shore up questions at first that have long plagued the team, if we can only have one slugger or the other, Bregman should be the clear priority. He’s a proven leader with World Series experience, a good defender, and a better overall bat. And, with home field advantage in pursuing him, Boston may be able to secure his services for less cash and with significantly less stress, assuming Alonso is actually interested in playing in Fenway at all.