Following the Detroit Tigers’ signing of starting pitcher Jack Flaherty, All-Star hitters Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman are the top players remaining in free agency. With spring training looming, the latest MLB rumors are shedding light on where both All-Star hitters will likely land.
Alonso and Bregman entered MLB free agency seeking multi-year deals worth $200-plus million. At the start of the winter, most around the league also assumed that the two infielders would re-sign with their respective clubs, remaining with the New York Mets and Houston Astros on lucrative contracts.
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- Pete Alonso stats (ESPN): .240/.329/.459, .788 OPS, 34 home runs, 88 RBI, 31 doubles
The belief in that grew as suitors for Alonso and Bregman started to drop off the radar in the following months. With the New York Yankees (Paul Goldschmidt), Washington Nationals (Josh Bell) and Astros (Christian Walker) landing first baseman, Alonso’s options dwindled.
Likewise, Bregman entered MLB free agency with the Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers all linked as potential landing spots. However, a majority of those clubs spent money on other positions while the Mariners determined Bregman and Alonso were both out of their price range. Yet, with spring training imminent, negotiations with the Mets and Astros haven’t gone well.
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USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale detailed where things currently stand for both All-Star bats entering February. Alonso reportedly still wants to return to the Mets and Bregman would prefer to re-sign with Houston. However, it appears only one of those is likely to happen.
- Alex Bregman stats (ESPN): .260/.315/.453, .768 OPS, 26 home runs, 75 RBI
Nightengale thinks it “almost seems inevitable” that the Mets will eventually reach an agreement with Alonso, once the two sides figure out a salary in the the first year of the deal with an opt-out following the 2025 season. Strengthening that case is the fact that his only other serious suitor, Toronto, just spent money on Anthony Santander and Max Scherzer.
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As for Bregman, who has been “aggressively pursued” by the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox, he’ll seemingly have to settle for a contract much lower than he anticipated. There’s also a chance the Astros’ original offer – $156 million over six years – is no longer on the table.
Ultimately, Nightengale thinks the decision for Bregman will come down to reuniting with manager A.J. Hinch and playing third base for the Tigers or signing a short-term deal to play second base for the Red Sox. However, given Detroit just signed Flaherty, Bregman’s options might’ve shrunk even more over the weekend.
