With the New York Yankees seemingly having found their first baseman of the future in Ben Rice, they aren’t likely to make a run at a slugger from their crosstown rivals who is set to reach free agency.
According to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, Pete Alonso of the New York Mets isn’t considered a strong candidate to go from Queens to The Bronx this offseason.
“A serious run at Pete Alonso seems unlikely with Ben Rice seemingly in line to take over as the full-time first baseman, but Edwin Díaz makes sense if the Yankees wanted to check in Queens,” Hoch wrote. “They’ll also look overseas: The Yankees have been connected to two Japanese stars — corner infielders Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto.”Sep 27, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates his solo home run against the Miami Marlins in the third inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Alonso first hit free agency last year after a somewhat disappointing 2024 campaign, at least by his standards, in which he slashed .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs and 88 RBI. He more than made it for it with a standout performance during the Mets’ run to the NLCS, though, as he hit a game-winning home run in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers while posting a .999 OPS over 58 plate appearances.
That wasn’t enough for him to generate a strong market, however, and the Yankees never appeared to show any real interest in signing the five-time All-Star despite having a need at first base.
Instead, the Bronx Bombers brought in Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year deal worth $12.5 million to fill that void. He ended up slashing .274/.328/.403 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs across 534 trips to the plate.
Alonso, meanwhile, returned to the Mets in February on a two-year contract that paid him $30 million this season and included a $24 million player option for the 2026 campaign, which he is opting out of. He mashed 38 homers with an .871 OPS in 162 games this season.
Alonso is one of the top power threats in the league while ranking among the league’s best first basemen, but the Yankees would be better off passing on him and putting their full faith in Rice as their starter at the position in 2026 and beyond.
Rice’s offensive numbers didn’t trail super far behind Alonso’s this past year, as he hit 26 home runs with an .836 OPS in 530 plate appearances, and his batted ball data suggests he’s due for major improvement moving forward.
With plenty of other more pressing roster needs, the Yankees have no reason to pay Alonso. His market is expected to be stronger than it was last offseason, and the fact that he’s reportedly looking for a seven-year deal, per the New York Post’s Mike Puma, should deter the organization even further.
