Pete Alonso
Pete Alonso is a great fallback option for whichever team fails to attract Juan Soto. The Mets slugger has more home runs since 2021 than anyone not named Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, or Kyle Schwarber.
He's another guy with a frozen market that will likely persist until after the Soto signing, but all the big players like the Astros, Cardinals, Diamonbacks, Yankees, Mariners, and of course, the Mets, will be checking in. When he does sign, it's expected that it will be for a little less than the kind of money Alex Bregman is looking for.
Baseball's hot stove is heating up. The Juan Soto sweepstakes are entering their final stretch, and after that, expect a fury of rumors — some true, some not — culminating in more top free agents finding their new homes.
It's an exceptional free-agent class, and Blake Snell and Yusei Kikuchi have already signed contracts for more money than expected. The Winter Meetings are looking like the peak of a thrilling offseason.
If you want to keep chatting about offseason rumors, follow me @Lucastalksball (X or Bluesky). I'd love to hear your takes!