"First baseman Pete Alonso is now an Oriole, as his five-year deal with Baltimore was officially announced today. He drove from his Tampa home to the Winter Meetings in Orlando to meet with clubs before locking that deal down. According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, he also met with the Red Sox and Cubs. It was already known that he would be meeting with the Red Sox but the connection to the Cubs is new."
"The Cubs already have a first baseman in Michael Busch, who is quite good. He hit 21 homers for the Cubs last year and added 34 more in 2025. His walk rate declined a bit but he also noticeably reduced his strikeouts, from a somewhat-concerning 28.6% in 2024 to an almost-average 23.5% this year. He finished the 2025 season with a .261/.343/.523 line and 140 wRC+, with solid defense to boot."
"However, he hits from the left side and is essentially a strong-side platoon guy. The Cubs only let him face a lefty 95 times this year and he produced a tepid .207/.274/.368 line and 81 wRC+ in those appearances. The Cubs signed 40-year-old Justin Turner to a one-year, $6MM deal last offseason and he started at first base against most lefties. He didn't have a good season overall but did put up a .276/.330/.429 line against southpaws, good for a 112 wRC+."
Pete Alonso signed a five-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles after meeting teams at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, including the Red Sox and the Cubs. The Cubs' meeting implies some interest in Alonso. The Cubs already have Michael Busch at first base; Busch hit 21 homers previously and 34 in 2025, posted a .261/.343/.523 line with 140 wRC+ and reduced his strikeout rate to 23.5%. Busch hits left-handed and struggled versus lefties, so the Cubs used Justin Turner against southpaws. Alonso bats right-handed and would have filled a righty-first-base or lefty-DH role. The Cubs have a partly open DH spot with Seiya Suzuki, Moisés Ballesteros and Owen Caissie.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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