The Houston Astros had one glaring issue all season long with a revolving door around first base.
After a failed season from former American League MVP Jose Abreu, who was ultimately designated for assignment after being signed this past offseason, the team could not find a solid answer to solidify one of the corner infield spots in 2024.
As both first and third base could be a big situation after Alex Bregman could find a new home this winter, The Astros are entering an important offseason if they hope to return to a deep playoffs run. After being swept by the Detroit Tigers in the AL Wild Card Series this year, it was the first time in seven seasons they failed to reach the American League Championship Series.
If they want to improve the first base position this offseason, they might be in luck with a premier slugger who could come to you at a bargain.
That’s exactly what CBS Sports Mike Axisa thinks will happen with one of his 10 bold MLB offseason predictions. In his piece, he believes that the Astros could luckily sign New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso to a short-term deal, much like we saw last offseason with plenty of big-name free agents.
“These days, teams just don’t pay big for free-agent first basemen,” writes Axisa. “This bold prediction says Alonso falls in the Bellinger/Chapman/Montgomery/Snell bucket and has to settle for a one-year contract with a big salary ($35 million) and two player options. Let’s pencil him for the Astros. Sound good?”
Astros fans would be more than happy to pencil in a slugger like Alonso as their starting first baseman for the 2025 season. This may also help with some of the concerns from the Houston front office, which may be hesitant to chase a multi-year contract for someone in that position after Abreu’s failed attempt.
A one-year deal still keeps extensions open for the future if the organization feels Alonso could add value to the team beyond next season. With other big-name free agents (like Kyle Tucker) set to hit the market for the Astros in 2026, it may be the team’s best-case scenario.
This past season, Alonso hit .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs and 88 RBI. He also played in all 162 games for the Mets this past season. Although he’s entering his age 30 season, his longevity is not a concern whatsoever. Over the past four seasons, the former Florida Gator has only missed 20 games.
