Pirates in Market for Mets Slugger
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates head into their most important week of the offseason at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla., where they'll look at some of the best available players in free agency and in trades.
The Pirates have shown interest in a number of bats, but there is a new player of interest for them in New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reported that the Pirates are "hanging around in the market for Alonso."
Why the Pirates are Targeting Pete Alonso
Alonso provides the Pirates with an everyday bat that hits home runs, with his lowest total of 16 home runs in the 2020 season, which only had 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
His fewest home runs hit in a season is 34 in 2024, which is still 14 home runs more than Oneil Cruz, who led the Pirates with 20 home runs in 2025.
Alonso's career-low in RBI is 88 in 2024, which is still 15 RBIs more than Bryan Reynolds, who led the Pirates with 73 RBIs this past campaign.
Year | Home Runs | RBI |
|---|---|---|
2019 | 53 | 120 |
2020 | 16 | 35 |
2021 | 37 | 94 |
2022 | 40 | 131 |
2023 | 46 | 118 |
2024 | 34 | 88 |
2025 | 38 | 126 |
The Pirates were the worst power-hitting team in baseball last season. They posted the least home runs (117), 31 less than the next team in the St. Louis Cardinals, who hit 148 home runs.
They also had the worst slugging percentage (.350) and OPS (.655), while driving in the least RBIs (561) and runs scored (583), with the Colorado Rockies, who finished 43-119, had more of.
The Pirates would benefit greatly from Alonso's bat and could fit him at first base or designated hitter, where Andrew McCutchen's future with the team is not certain.
Will the Pirates Sign Pete Alonso?
Alonso will command a great salary and suitors who are willing to commit to those demands, as they try and also build a lineup that is geared towards a postseason.
He made $30.2 million on a one-year deal with the Mets last season and immediately hit free agency after they failed to make the playoffs.
The Pirates have never paid a player that much in one season, and their highest-paid player in 2025 was right-handed starting pitcher Mitch Keller at $15.4 million.
Pittsburgh has notoriously had among the lowest payrolls in baseball, ranking in the bottom four teams in 16 of the 19 seasons under owner Bob Nutting since he took over in 2007.
The Pirates are linked with many big names in free agency and the trade market and are likely going to make some moves, not just this week at the Winter Meetings, but throughout the offseason.
Free agents like National League MVP finalist Kyle Schwarber, who hit 56 home runs last season, and catcher J.T. Realmuto of the Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco, San Diego Padres designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn and Japanese superstars Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto are all names the Pirates have links with.
Pittsburgh is also looking at left-handed batters via trade, including with the Cardinals, featuring the likes of Alec Burleson, Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman.
The Pirates also have trade interest in left-handed second baseman Brandon Lowe of the Tampa Bay Rays and Jeff McNeil of the New York Mets are also targets, while Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos is another trade target.
General manager Ben Cherington and president Travis Williams both have confidence they'll break through this offseason.
This includes finally signing a position player free agent to a multi-year deal for the first time in a decade and actually spending the money necessary to compete for a postseason.
Whether that happens or not, time will tell, but signing Alonso would show real intent from the front office that they want to win in 2026.
Pete Alonso's Background
Alonso hails from Tampa, Fla. and after playing three seasons at Florida, the Mets took him in the second round with the 64th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft.
He quickly moved through the minor leagues and made his debut in 2019, making the Mets' Opening Day roster.
Alonso had an incredible campaign, slashing .260/.358/.583 for an OPS of .941 in 161 games, with 155 hits, 30 doubles, two triples, 53 home runs, 120 RBIs and 72 walks to 183 strikeouts.
He led all MLB hitters in home runs and won the NL Rookie of the Year Award, earning an All-Star nod and All-MLB First Team honors.
Alonso has hit well in his career since then, earning four straight All-Star nods from 2022-25, leading all NL hitters with 131 RBIs in 2022 and winning an NL Silver Slugger Award in 2025.
His biggest moment in his MLB career came in Game 3 of the 2024 NL Wild Card series vs. the Milwaukee Brewers, where he hit a three-run home run down 2-0 in the top of the ninth inning, putting the Mets up 3-2 and helping them move on to the NLDS.
Alonso has slashed .253/.341/.516 for an OPS of .857 in 1,008 games over seven seasons with the Mets. He also has 951 hits, 183 doubles, eight triples, 264 home runs, 712 RBIs and 419 walks to 984 strikeouts.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.