LAS VEGAS — The Red Sox are, quite obviously, in the market for a big bat to bolster the middle of their lineup. A secondary concern is ensuring their infield defense gets better — and not worse — in 2026.

From an offensive perspective, then, longtime Met Pete Alonso makes perfect sense as a right-handed masher who would provide much-needed pop. Defensively, though, he’s a liability. Alonso ranked last (18th) among qualified first basemen in defensive runs saved (negative-9) in 2025 while committing 10 errors (tied for the MLB lead) and ranking in the second percentile in range (negative-9 outs above average) and the fifth percentile in arm strength (73.5 mph average throw). His throwing issues were a story in New York all season.

For a Red Sox club intent on improving its infield defense after years of below-average performance, adding Alonso wouldn’t address that concern — unless he’s amenable to a large share of at-bats as the designated hitter. He started just two games for the Mets as the DH in 2025 while making 159 starts at first base. But his agent, Scott Boras, signaled that Alonso is willing to DH, at least sometimes, with his new club.

“I think Pete, at this point in his career, is about winning. No doubt,” Boras said, choosing alliteration as a messaging tool. “I’ve had that question a lot. There’s no doubt Pete’s pursuers are primed to pay the power piper.”

The Red Sox have options at designated hitter with Masataka Yoshida (a trade candidate) on the roster and Breslow looking for creative ways to potentially keep all four outfielders (Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela) in the mix if he’s unable to trade any of them. Adding Alonso would worsen that logjam and would likely require a trade elsewhere. Having Alonso as a DH option would also give some runway to Triston Casas, who remains a high-upside option despite his struggles to stay healthy over the past two seasons. Casas is expected to be fully recovered from his knee injury by Opening Day but Breslow has stopped short of guaranteeing him the starting spot at first base.

Alonso — who has hit 195 homers for the Mets in the last five seasons — is likely more attractive to the Red Sox as someone who is willing to take DH at-bats and increase roster flexibility for Alex Cora. There are mixed signals, though, about the club’s interest. At the outset of the offseason, a well-connected industry source with knowledge of Boston’s thinking didn’t think the Red Sox would be a major player for Alonso. This week, however, word is there are some in the club’s inner circle that prefer Alonso to Kyle Schwarber, the other top offensive free agent who projects to be exclusively a DH in 2026. Alonso doesn’t have a qualifying offer (and draft pick compensation) attached to him like Schwarber does.

In an attempt to pump up his client, Boras said the talk about Alonso’s defensive struggles has been overblown. Advertising the soon-to-be 31-year-old as someone willing to fit a certain team’s needs is obviously the smart strategy for the super-agent.

“When you look at the number of first basemen that can play 100 games, you have to rank Pete up there in the top seven or eight,” Boras said Wednesday. “There aren’t many first basemen that can play first base and keep the position.

“He has a nature about him that is power production, punishing pitchers. They are fully aware of his skill, but I think what they most pay attention to is the core element of what he can do to provide a team that consistency of 40 home runs, power production, because they are just not finding it. They are finding a lot of players in the market that are somewhat there and somewhat not.”

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