One notable insider believes the Chicago Cubs are the early favorites in a battle for a top power hitter in entering MLB free agency this winter.
Entering the MLB games today, the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners are in a bitter fight for the top spot in the American League West. There is an added intensity to their fight for first since the second-place squad is unlikely to earn one of the three available Wild Card spots.
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However, the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies are near-locks to be sitting outside the playoffs this October. Yet despite the different positions the four teams are in the current MLB standings, they all have one thing in common. They are keeping one eye on the offseason for potential targets to bolster the roster.
While we are still several months away from MLB free agency, Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes are the best talents on the open market. However, one of the best sluggers of the decade will also be available and New York Post MLB insider Jon Heyman believes the quartet of clubs will be serious contenders for his services.
Chicago Cubs are considered an early favorite for Pete Alonso this winter
“It’s been a great six years in Queens with [Pete] Alonso (who has a .250 average and .878 OPS since the break), but at this point, I might not bet against the Cubs, who need a bopper,” Heyman wrote. “The Astros, who have Alonso’s Tampa Plant High teammate Kyle Tucker, would fit, too. The Mariners, as well. He also looks pretty good in Denver [during a recent series].”
Pete Alonso stats (2024): 246 AVG, .331 SLG, .476 OBP, 25 HR, 63 RBI, 67 R
The four-time All-Star is one of the preeminent sluggers in the game and has an outside chance of hitting 40 or more home runs for a third straight year. While he has publicly stated he wants to remain with the New York Mets, his agent is expected to seek an asking price that reportedly will be higher than the team is willing to go.
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