Red Sox Predicted to Sign $174 Million Pete Alonso as Triston Casas Replacement

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Pete Alonso may become the next Boston Red Sox first baseman after Triston Casas’ injury.

The Boston Red Sox took a painful loss yesterday when 25-year-old first baseman Triston Casas suffered a serious knee injury while beating out an infield ground ball in game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday.

Casas lay still on the ground for several minutes after apparently tripping over the foot of Twins first baseman Ty France on an error by pitcher Joe Ryan.

The injury was diagnosed as a “ruptured patellar tendon.” According to Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, the injury requires surgery and has ended the season for Casas after the 2018 first-round draft pick played just 29 games.

The possibility remains, however, that the injury could be career-threatening for Casas. The patellar tendon connects the kneecap to the shin bone. Recovery time can range from eight to 12 months.

But according to a 2019 survey of nine studies involving 196 athletes with patellar tendon tears, conducted by researchers at Nantes University in France, many athletes never fully recover. Performance level of athletes in the survey ranged from 52 percent to 100 percent when evaluated between 24 and 115 months out from the injury.

Cold Reality After Casas Injury: Boston Must Replace Him

None of that data sounds good for Casas. As pitcher Brayan Bello said after Friday’s game, “everybody is down or is sad. Just wishing him a speedy recovery and hoping everything goes well for him.”

But the cold reality is that the Red Sox lack depth at the first base position. The organization must now think about a potential replacement for Casas, not only this season, but going forward.

During the offseason, according to MLB insider Bob Nightengale, the Red Sox were one of eight teams interested in signing New York Mets free agent slugger Pete Alonso.

Instead, the Red Sox opted to sign former Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman. Alonso re-signed with his original team in Flushing, Queens, New York.

Last week, however, Mets owner Steve Cohen revealed in an interview with the New York Post that Alonso will exercise the opt-out clause in his two-year, $54 million contract and enter the free agent market all over again.

Alonso is off to a sensational start to his new contract with the Mets, playing in all 33 games and leading the National League in OPS (1.136), hits (40) and doubles (11). He also has eight home runs, tied for third in the NL.

Alonso Price Tag Upwards of $158 Million

During the 2023 season, the Mets offered Alonso a $158 million, seven year contract extension according to media reports. But the first baseman is reported to have turned it down, opting to test free agency following the 2024 season instead.

The bet on himself did not pay off to the extent he hoped, but the $158 million figure likely represents a baseline for what he would be looking for in his second try at free agency.

The sports business site Spotrac estimates his market value at $174 million over six years.

With an MLB-12th ranked $197.5 million payroll this year, the Red Sox should be able to afford another run at Alonso in his expected 2026 free agency, especially if Casas remains unable to play.

“Alonso would feast with the Green Monster as a target and add the needed right-handed balance and power the Red Sox seek for the lineup,” wrote Tim Crowley of the Red Sox cable network NESN, during Alonso’s first go-round in the open market earlier this year.

If as appears to be the case, the Red Sox need look for a replacement at first base, it will not be at all surprising to see Boston go all-in to sign Alonso.

Jonathan Vankin JONATHAN VANKIN is an award-winning journalist and writer who now covers baseball and other sports for Heavy.com. He twice won New England Press Association awards for sports feature writing. Vankin is also the author of five nonfiction books on a variety of topics, as well as nine graphic novels including most recently “Last of the Gladiators” published by Dynamite Entertainment. More about Jonathan Vankin