The Boston Red Sox were likely going to be one of the top teams in the Vladimir Guerrero Jr. free agency sweepstakes next winter, but the Toronto Blue Jays shut that idea down by agreeing to a massive $500 million contract extension to take Guerrero off the market.

FanSided’s Chris Landers recently predicted the Red Sox could pivot from Guerrero to New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso next offseason. Alonso has a $24 million player option for 2026 that he’s likely to decline in order to head back to free agency.

“Alonso isn’t in Vladdy’s tier as a player, both because of his declining offensive profile and because he’s already on the wrong side of 30,” Landers wrote. “But he’s still got plenty of juice left in the bat, as he’s proven with a torrid start to 2025. He’s also a perfect fit for Fenway, peppering balls off the Monster while still having enough power to use all fields.

“The presence of Kyle Schwarber, Marcell Ozuna, and maybe even Cody Bellinger or Luis Arraez could dampen that, though, and the league still doesn’t figure to be thrilled by the idea of a long-term deal for a player who will be 31 in December and was never particularly athletic to begin with. The Sox could get Alonso for a relative bargain, getting another 40 homers out of him before pivoting elsewhere down the line.”

The Red Sox don’t necessarily need a first baseman right now as the position is taken up by youngster Triston Casas. Casas is struggling mightily this season, but he still appears to be Boston’s franchise first baseman — unless the Red Sox trade him in a huge deal to bring in a star pitcher.

If Casas is moved, it makes a lot more sense for the Red Sox to pursue Alonso, who’s projected to sign for a staggering $174 million according to Spotrac. The idea that they would pursue Guerrero existed simply because the Blue Jays slugger is a can’t-miss talent in the prime of his career. Alonso isn’t in that same tier of player, so it might not make sense for Boston to pursue him if it still has Casas on the roster.