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Pete Alonso details Red Sox free agent pursuit, ‘long’ conversations before Orioles signing
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- Pete Alonso details Red Sox free agent pursuit, ‘long’ conversations before Orioles signing
BALTIMORE — As slugger Pete Alonso faces the Red Sox for the first time as a member of the Orioles, he’s not doing much thinking about “what could have been” in Boston .
It was well-known that the Red Sox , in need of power at first base this winter, were involved in pursuing Alonso as a free agent before he signed a five-year, $155 million contract with the Orioles in December . Before pivoting to a trade for Willson Contreras , the Red Sox were involved enough with Alonso to meet with him both virtually and in-person. Ultimately, Baltimore offered more in both years and average annual salary. The Red Sox watched one of the top free agent hitters sign with a division rival.
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“I had a Zoom meeting and then an in-person meeting as well,” Alonso said, noting he met with Red Sox brass at the Winter Meetings in Orlando. “They had a lot of really good things to say. They’ve got some really good people over there. I really respect them. For me, this (Baltimore) was the best situation for me. I feel like I’m in the best possible spot.
“Nothing but respect and appreciation for the dialogue and interest this offseason, but I feel like I’m in the best spot.”
Alonso, the longtime Met, had interest in playing at Fenway Park because his swing fit the ballpark but there were also personal considerations at play . His wife, Haley, is a Quincy native and his in-laws still live locally.
“They live on the South Shore,” Alonso said. “I’ve spent a lot of time in Boston because my wife, we’ve been together since 2015. Spent a lot of time up there, playing in the Cape and I’m very familiar with Boston. There are obviously certain things you think about.”
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Ultimately, though, the Orioles made the best offer and impressed Alonso with other factors, too. On Saturday, he lauded the commitment shown by new owner David Rubenstein. He also explained the importance of having spring training close to his Tampa home.
“For me, it was a lot of factors,” Alonso said. “Both are spring training in Florida, but Fort Myers is a haul from Tampa for me. I got to live at home and commute every day to Sarasota... That was a huge thing, spending an extra lot of time (at home).”
Alonso went into his meetings with the Red Sox with some familiarity with manager Alex Cora, whose brother Joey had coached Alonso with the Mets in 2022 and 2023. Alonso’s rapport with Joey Cora — “He’s one of my favorites,” Alonso said — helped matters initially.
“They were long (conversations),” Cora said. “He has a pretty good idea of who he is and what he wants to accomplish. Very thoughtful about everything, from hitting to defense to winning environments and all that. They were long (conversations). There was one Zoom that took longer than I expected.
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“I knew going into the conversation what to expect. Obviously, he’s represented by a group I know (the Boras Corporation). It was an interesting conversation and a good one. He really knows what he wants to do as a player and off the field, what he wants to do. They’re very involved in the community. The Orioles got a good one.”
Alonso was a free agent after the 2024 season and went unsigned until February, when he agreed to go back to the Mets for a two-year, $54 million deal with an opt-out after one season. He exercised that opt-out and went into his second go-around with different expectations. That mindset, Alonso said, meant he never got to the point of envisioning himself in any uniform, including Boston’s.
“The first time going through free agency, the thing you learn is that you really don’t put merit in something until you get some concrete things in front of you,” he said. “The ‘what-ifs’ or the hypotheticals, there were a lot of them the first time. You learn to not think about those and skirt those out of your mind.
“The second time through, I wanted us to be just be really clinical about this and take everything step-by-step. It’s not just the contract. It’s the living situation — and a lot of factors — coaches, what life is like, the outlook you have. It’s a whole organizational thing."
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From the other side, Alonso will see plenty of the Red Sox over the next half-decade.
“They’ve got a lot of good things going on for them,” Alonso said. “Obviously, it’s an iconic organization... I’m very appreciative and respect the hell out of the Red Sox for providing an insight on what it would be like.
“Boston would have been good, but for me, this is best. I’m really stoked to be an Oriole for the long haul.”
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