The Red Sox Are Playing 4D Chess, and Pete Alonso Is the Prize
The MLB offseason is a magical time, isn’t it? It’s a period filled with wild speculation, fan theories that belong on a conspiracy subreddit, and enough hot stove rumors to heat every home in New England. This year, the drama centers around a fascinating, albeit indirect, dance between the New York Mets and our beloved Boston Red Sox. The main event? A potential game of musical chairs that could see Pete Alonso landing at Fenway Park. And frankly, it’s about time the Red Sox made a move that actually gets the fans excited.
Let’s be real, the last few years have felt like the front office has been playing “Moneyball” with a counterfeit copy of the book. While the Yankees and Blue Jays are out there spending like they’ve found a money tree, the Red Sox have been… conservative. That’s the polite way to put it. The 2025 season ended with a whimper in the Wild Card Series, and the payroll difference between Boston and its rivals was glaring. You don’t need to be a sabermetrics genius to see that spending $100 million less than the Yankees might have something to do with finishing behind them.
But it seems like the tides might be turning. Craig Breslow, the team’s top decision-maker, has signaled that adding some serious pop to the lineup is a top priority. And who has more pop than Pete Alonso?
Why Pete Alonso to the Red Sox Makes Too Much Sense
Pete Alonso is the kind of player Fenway Park was built for. Imagine the “Polar Bear” launching moonshots over the Green Monster for 81 games a season. It’s the stuff dreams are made of. After a killer season hitting .272 with 38 homers and 126 RBIs, Alonso is a free agent, and the Red Sox have a first-base-sized hole in their lineup that he would fill perfectly.
The plot thickens when you look at the moves happening around the league. The Red Sox non-tendered first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, essentially clearing the deck for a big signing. Some pundits, like Rising Apple’s Stephen Parello, see this as a clear signal that Boston is all-in on the Alonso sweepstakes. In a hilarious twist, Parello also suggests that Lowe could now be a “bargain bin option” for the Mets, creating an unofficial, inadvertent swap. The Mets get a budget first baseman, and the Red Sox get a superstar. Sounds like a win-win, if you’re a Red Sox fan.
The Alex Bregman Wrinkle in the Red Sox’s Plan
Of course, it’s never that simple. There’s another big name floating around: Alex Bregman. Bregman was with the Red Sox in 2025 but opted out of his contract, and now the Mets are sniffing around. According to Matt Skillings at Heavy Sports, if the Mets snatch up Bregman, it might just be the push Breslow needs to go all-out and sign Alonso in a “retaliatory move.” A little inter-league rivalry to spice up the offseason? Yes, please.
Signing Alonso would do more than just fill a position; it would be a statement. It would tell the fanbase that the days of penny-pinching are over and that the front office is finally invested in winning now. After trading away Rafael Devers last season (a move that still stings), the lineup has been desperately missing a consistent power threat. Alonso is the solution, plain and simple.
What Other Moves Could the Red Sox Make?
While Alonso is the main course, there are other items on the offseason menu. The team’s lack of starting pitching depth was painfully obvious last season. Garrett Crochet can’t do it all himself. Dylan Cease is another name being thrown around. His asking price is expected to be in the $150-$180 million range, which might actually be a good fit for a team that seems allergic to long-term pitcher contracts. He had a rough 2025, but the market for him is still hot, and a change of scenery could be just what he needs.
And then there’s the possibility of Bregman returning. He’s a Gold Glove-winning infielder whose veteran presence could be invaluable for the younger players coming up through the system. If the Red Sox are serious about building a sustainable winner, keeping guys like Bregman around is a smart play.
Ultimately, this offseason feels different. There’s a buzz, a sense that the Red Sox are ready to get back to their old ways of making bold, impactful moves. Signing Pete Alonso would be the biggest and boldest of them all. It’s time to stop talking and start spending. The fans are waiting.
