Currently, first base is a major weakness for the Houston Astros.
José Abreu struggled so much in his second year with the team that Houston decided to release him midseason, absorbing the rest of his contract. Abreu has yet to find a new team.
Jon Singleton has been handling most of the at-bats, posting a .232 batting average with nine home runs and 28 RBIs. While decent, his performance lacks the consistent power expected from the position.
The Astros have also occasionally used their super-utility player, Mauricio Dubón, at first base. A potential long-term solution could have been Joey Loperfido, but Houston traded him and two other young prospects at the deadline for pitcher Yusei Kikuchi.
As a result, the Astros may be more inclined to address the first base position through free agency this offseason. The top first baseman likely to enter free agency is Pete Alonso of the New York Mets. The New York Post has even suggested that the Astros could be a good fit for the six-year veteran.
Alonso is currently playing under a $20.5 million contract with the Mets, which was agreed upon in January to avoid arbitration. However, this is the final year the Mets have control over Alonso’s contract status.
Since New York didn’t trade him at the deadline, it will be up to Mets owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns to negotiate a long-term deal.
Alonso’s agent, Scott Boras, known for driving hard bargains, is likely to push for a strong contract for the player nicknamed the “Polar Bear,” despite some recent underwhelming negotiations for other clients.
The 29-year-old Alonso is having another solid season, with 23 home runs and 60 RBIs, and has raised his batting average to .242 after a slow start.
A four-time All-Star and former National League Rookie of the Year, Alonso has hit 215 home runs and driven in 558 runs. He’s also proven to be durable, with the fewest games he’s played in a full season being 152 in 2021.
Houston might have an edge that other teams don’t—Kyle Tucker. The three-time All-Star outfielder, who is one of the game’s top power hitters, has been sidelined with a shin injury since June.
However, Tucker and Alonso have a shared history, both hailing from Tampa, Florida, and having been teammates at Plant High School. A reunion in Houston could be appealing for both players.
Of course, for this to happen, the Astros would need to lock Tucker into a long-term extension, something they’ve failed to do twice before. Perhaps signing Alonso could help facilitate that deal.
