Before Pete Alonso re-signed with the Mets, the Phillies were among the teams that “checked in” on the first baseman’s free agent market, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman writes. Rather than make the jump elsewhere in the NL East, Alonso returned to Queens on a two-year, $54MM deal that allows Alonso to opt out after the 2025 season.
This is the first time the Phils’ interest in Alonso has been made public, though Bryce Harper dropped some hints earlier this week when he was discussing his willingness to eventually move back to his old right field position. “When Pete was on the block still, I kind of sat there and was like, ‘Hey, why not?’ ,” Harper said. “When we talked about it, I kind of just reiterated to (the Phillies) and Scott (Boras) that I’m willing to move out there if it’s going to help us. I love playing first base. It’s been great. But if it’s going to help us win, I’d go back out there [to the outfield].”
Despite Harper’s stance, there isn’t any indication that the Phillies made any serious push towards Alonso, or that their interest might have been anything more than due diligence. As a big-market, free-spending team, the Phils have the relative freedom to explore signing just about any available free agent, and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is no stranger to splashy acquisitions. If anything, it might have been more unusual if Philadelphia didn’t at least consider Alonso, particularly (as Harper noted) once February rolled around and Alonso remained unsigned.
Alonso’s hopes at landing a lucrative long-term contract didn’t work out, leaving Alonso and agent Scott Boras (who also represents Harper) pivoting to shorter-term deals that included an opt-out clause. The Blue Jays reportedly offered Alonso a three-year deal worth roughly $80-$85MM, but the slugger instead took the shorter contract from New York with the higher average annual value.
Because Alonso ultimately preferred to remain in Queens anyway, it’s safe to guess that he probably wouldn’t have jumped to a division rival if the Phillies had offered the same contract structure as the Mets, plus a few extra dollars. Hypothetically, if Alonso had gone to Philadelphia, Harper would’ve moved into right field, making for a crowded situation in the Fightins’ outfield. With Kyle Schwarber locked in as the everyday DH, Alonso at first base, and Harper getting everyday at-bats in right field, Nick Castellanos and new signing Max Kepler would’ve been squeezed into a platoon in left field.
Signing Alonso even at that relative bargain price also wouldn’t have exactly been a bargain in luxury tax terms. The Phillies are already projected (via RosterResource) for a tax number of roughly $307.5MM in 2025, which is over the maximum penalty tier of $301MM. The Phillies have paid the tax in each of the last three seasons, so the repeater penalty on top of the penalty for exceeding the $301MM threshold would’ve cost Philadelphia a 110% surcharge for every dollar spent above the $301MM total.
The number of big contracts on the Phillies’ books could explain why the club had a relatively quiet winter, as the Phillies made a few mid-tier signings (Kepler, Jordan Romano, Joe Ross) and swung one prominent trade to acquire Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins. Still, after their playoff disappointment in 2024, the Phils were expected by some to perhaps be more aggressive in making one more headling-grabbing move as something of a final touch to put the roster over the top.
Checking in with Alonso now, however, might’ve been a move to really lay groundwork for next winter, assuming he triggers his opt-out clause. While the Phillies have designs on signing Schwarber to an extension, his departure would open up a bit more flexibility on the roster and on the payroll, perhaps opening the door for Philadelphia to pursue Alonso or another big bat.
Alonso told Heyman that he is happy to back with the Mets, and he has “no regrets” about how his free agency developed. He also noted that bigger-picture concerns overshadowed any worries he had about the lingering nature of his free agent stint, as Alonso spent much of his winter overseeing the repair of his home in Tampa.
“Hurricane Helene wiped out our house. It just puts things in perspective,” Alonso said. “Nothing really seemed that big of a deal after losing our house. It’s like, what else? OK, we have to wait a few extra few weeks. OK, so what?“
Just like others before him, Alonzo proved he cared more about money than he did about gelling with future teammates. I understand that you get paid for your services but I want a player like Bryce Harper than Pete Alonzo.
Charlesm: Even though Harper went for the most money when he was a free agent. He wasn’t wrong to do that, but he’s no less of a mercenary than Alonso.
He actually took less. He was offered more by San Fran, but it’s not like he didn’t get a lot anyway.
He absolutely took less money and even less years than a few teams were willing to pony up- he obviously wants to be in a line up with Soto. Duhhhhh his agent just over played it a little trying to squeeze the Mets for a little more.
Any proof to back this up? I have not seen or heard anything about any other offers to Alonso.
Charlesm 2025:
It’s amazing you even have the capabilities to post because what you posted is incomprehensible. Pete Alonso basically chose the team he wanted to come back to over money. So what you’re saying didn’t make much sense. With your typing abilities I question if you might be a Russian mail order bride.
The entire original piece was a string of talking points scripted by Scott Boras to build some floor of value for next off-season. We never heard this hurricane story before.
And was initially reported by Jon Heyman who has clearly demonstrated in the past that he is owned by The Boras Corporation.
In GF2:
“that Senate lawyer… he belongs to Roth.”
Charlesm 2025:
It’s amazing you even have the capabilities to post
=====================
The craziest logic I’ve ever heard. The guy that stayed is disloyal, and the guy that ran is loyal?
My head hurts just trying to unravel the logic.
Harper over Alonso for sure. Not much else tracks.
@charlesm Harper left his previous teammates where Alonso is returning to his teammates. Do you grasp the difference??
Completely different situations. Alonso was on a big market team that would pay him and compete every year. Harper was on the Nats. Both guys got monster deals and deserved to get paid.
I don’t see anything wrong with either of their choices. Just found it to be a horrible comparison by the original commenter for the point he was trying to make
@Tiger3232
Harper aside (and the Nats offered $30m less in total money than did the Phillies), in point of fact Alonso opted beginning in 2023 to aim for more money, fired his longstanding agent, hired the most cutthroat agent in the business, rejected an extremely generous offer from the Mets inept GM, Eppler, and ended up taking the highest AAV anyway.
That said AAV happened to come from his former team appears to be coincidence, but it does allow the gullible to say—after Alonso moved into his gf’s house for four months before deciding his wife paid better, so to speak–See! He really loved the Mets all along!
By their actions, their greed shall be made clear.
@Jack AGAIN one player stayed with his team(Alonso) the other(Harper) left. So any mention of gelling with teammates present or future it’s a horrible comparison between the 2.
Don’t we all try to get paid fair value and make what we can to provide for our families and their future. I have no problem with what Alonso or Harper did.
@DakotaJoe
Let’s spare the world yet another “he did it for his family” cliche when in the case of Harper he took $330 million instead of $300 million, and in the case of Alonso his greed has him settling for 2/54m instead of 6/136.5m.
In Harper’s case his family was going to be just fine, either way, and in Alonso’s case you appear to be defending a greed so extreme that by your precepts he currently ‘owes’ his family $82.5 million in guaranteed money.
@Jack At the time of signing Harper’s contract was largest total ever. So quit trying to spin it as tho he took some team friendly deal.
What screwed Harper was the unforseen. Covid and the ensuing inflation made his deal a bargain. And I don’t believe for a 2md he choose to not have no trade clause as a symbolic sign of camaraderie. I believe Phils wanted that as part of deal. From there it was likely by design spun to help in the process of repainting his image. Which I will give him a ton of credit for as he’s carried himself amazingly compared to early in his career.
I disliked Harper in Washington because he seemed arrogant as a 19 yo. But he’s really turned into a mature person, player, and teammate.
Harper is one of the ten best players in MLB. Good guy. Plays hard every day. Worth every penny he’s paid.
Hamels plunking him on the wallet, that was hilarious.
Harper’s hardly a mature teammate if he was going to move off of 1B for the sake of the Phillies adding Pete Alonso on a 3+ year deal.
If you’ve been in the game this long, still don’t know how value is created on the field, and put your team on the spot with foolish, expensive proposals, well, that’s not maturity. It’s ‘look at me!’
Wasn’t it Harper by the way who wanted the Phillies to extend him as recently as last December because 13 years just wasn’t going to see him to the end of his career?
If you can repeatedly make such an effort at 32, “mature,” yeah, still not the right descriptor.
i checked in on anne hathaway this off season. she told me i’m fat and ugly. she’s not wrong
C’mon, man. You’re not fat.
The Phillies “checking in” on Alonso was not about signing him—it was about suppressing his market value for next offseason.
The Phillies never seriously pursued Alonso—they just helped keep his market weak. By “checking in,” they signaled interest without committing, which may have influenced Alonso and Boras to take a short-term deal with an opt-out. This keeps Alonso available for next offseason when Philadelphia might actually have room for him. In essence, they played the long game, subtly shaping the market to their advantage.
I doubt the Phillies “checking in” had any impact on Alonso’s decision in the slightest. He shot for the moon and missed, so he was always going to try again next year after a hopefully improved 2025.
@ReyDay
You’re right that Alonso aimed high and missed, but the Phillies’ ‘check-in’ still served a purpose. In free agency, perception shapes reality—if enough teams show interest but none engage seriously, it reinforces to the market that the player’s asking price is too high. Teams like Philadelphia benefit from this without ever making a real offer. Alonso and Boras pivoting to a short-term deal with an opt-out suggests they saw the writing on the wall. If Alonso had a true multi-team bidding war, he’d have secured a long-term deal. Instead, he’s back in the same spot next year, conveniently when Philly might actually have room. Just because the Phillies weren’t the primary factor doesn’t mean they weren’t a factor at all.
He had 2 teams both put offers in, if anything it was the Mets who read his market right and knew with that QO attached that he wasn’t going to get a long term deal at the price he wanted. If Phillies made an offer or something I would probably agree.
Old York:
What Machiavellian nonsense. The Phillies checking in did not keep him available for next season. That’s utter nonsense that only a Phillies fan would believe. They don’t control the market. He signed the deal he signed with the Mets because that’s what they offered. It had nothing to do with the Phillies. And whatever he signs next season has nothing to do with the Phillies. Baseball does not revolve around the Phillies, apparently the way you think it does.
@Old York That is absolutely presumptuous and making an assumption on others double or triple thinking. If anything teams showing interest increases a players value. T
I checked in on Pete Alonso too. I also didn’t want to pay for him.
This feels like a wash my back, wash your back situation. Last year Harper (& Boras) tried to get the Phillies to talk an extension even though he wasn’t halfway through a 13 year deal. So, if Harper helped Boras drum up some interest to force the Mets hand, he could maybe intensify the extension talks (especially after seeing Machado opt out and get that new deal).
But this makes sense from the Phillies standpoint. They’re a team that’s going to be carried by their rotation. The middle of their lineup (minus Harper) have been the main issue why they lost the last 3 postseasons. Add in that their only elite position player prospect is 2 years away (at least), the only way they can really improve their offense in this window is by free agency. Funny enough, it was smart for them to stay away from free agency this winter as guys like Teoscar & Santander are similar to guys they already have. They need true 3/4 hitters not supplemental hitters like most of this winter’s hitters market was full of.
The Phillies probably need to sign at least one of Vlad or Tucker next winter. Maybe even both, in order to really have a chance at being a NL favourite. 6 of the 9 spots in their lineup are for guys 30 and over and their youngest starting position player is 27. They’re a team whose offense will only continue to decline unless they invest in free agency.
They could make trades, too.
It’s amazing how Harper is right in the middle of every Phillies acquisition. He was to one who gave the Phils the ultimatum that they “had to sign either Castellanos or Schwarber” a few years ago. He was also the one who was behind the scenes of the Turner acquisition. Harper was also in the news a few times since, reportedly talking to several potential acquisitions who eventually chose not to sign with the Phils. For someone who has gone out of his way to put together the team he wanted on the field and supported where most of these guys played defensively and hit in the batting order, it’s amazing he still claims a willingness “to do whatever is best for the team.” Who gets to determine what is best for the team anyway?
An ultimatum to sign Castellanos or Schwarber? Or else what?
gb, When the Phils were dragging their feet and had not yet signed another bat, Harper reportedly told the Phils they had to sign either Castellanos or Schwarber who were the only two unsigned outfielders – but they had to sign someone before the 2022 season started. Or else? Who knows what might happen when the inmates start running the asylum – but stay tuned because this story is far from over.
They checked in on him. I always love when they use those words in this case it’s perfect because he was throwing a temper tantrum because he wanted more money so they checked in on him. They said hey are you OK? Do you need a shoulder to cry on? Come on over here, there there now have a good cry let it all out don’t you feel better now? It’s OK it’s OK they’ll give you more millions just hold out for a little bit longer. Remember you’re a baseball player so you deserve a lot more money than cyber security, engineers or firefighters it’s not like those guys are important or anything.
“Checked in on.” is a cheap PR trick to give a team’s fans the idea the suits who eat in the executive dining room are serious about winning this year.
ralph, For all intents and purposes, MLB GMs check in on every available free agent, every trade candidate, and many players who are labeled unavailable.
I know, man I’m just being sarcastic
Phillies have a pretty good lineup that includes six 1st Round draft picks plus two more (Nola and Wheeler) in the starting rotation. Biggest key for this team is to stay healthy because the subs and the farm systems ain’t gonna provide much oomph. I like Romano’s chances to return to form. Kepler leaves me, meh.
I have like what I have seen of his swing thus far, for what that is worth. Base upon his up and down track record and injury history I would agree, but I am willing to hope for a bit more.
backup, Pitching is essential, but you can’t win games and championships without hitting. Once upon a time, the Phils rotation was Halladay, Lee, Hamels, Oswalt and Blanton – but the team still didn’t win a championship. As the great baseball philosopher Charles Dillon Stengel once said: “Good pitching always beats good hitting – and vice versa,”
The Phillies will do their due diligence on any available player of note. He does have the offensive numbers to consider, but if they couldn’t move Bohm or Castellanos. It would work.
Doesn’t every team check in on any given player at least a little? I don’t understand what we’re to do with this information.
Maybe not 100%, but certainly on every player that **might** fit. I’d bet that both the NYY, Astros and the RS made the call as well.
tiger, GMs can check in on players, but not every player is interested in playing for the Phillies.
This is a very weird comment.
Fans should probabky be screaming at Mariners ownership for not atleast making some noise over Pete Alonso. There’s teams that don’t care if they win that bad.