Astros are top destination for four-time All-Star slugger, per insider

The Houston Astros have been a dynasty in Major League Baseball for the better part of a decade, but that dynasty faces an uncertain future.

Houston is currently on a streak of seven straight American League Championship Series appearances and looks back on track toward adding an eighth in 2024. But the roster has gotten expensive, the pitching staff is plagued with injuries, and there's also one key hole in the lineup.

The Astros have gotten almost nothing from their first basemen in 2024, inexcusable at one of the game's most prolific offensive positions. José Abreu was released, Jon Singleton has been mediocre at best, and Houston has even experimented with putting catcher Yainer Diaz at first.

So although there likely isn't much the Astros can do to solve first base for the remainder of 2024, one insider believes they could pursue the biggest free-agent name at the position in the upcoming winter.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com listed the Astros among his top 2025 destinations for New York Mets star Pete Alonso, a four-time All-Star first baseman in his time in Queens.

"Alonso will be one of the better power bats on the market," Feinsand said. "The Mets slugger has been one of the most reliable power threats since he debuted in 2019, averaging 44 home runs per year in his first four 162-game seasons."

Alonso, 29, may have hurt his value with mediocre performances by his lofty standards the past two seasons. Though his OPS has still been over .800 in both 2023 and 2024, his on-base skills have dropped off, and he's been less reliable than ever in high-leverage situations.

But if Alonso isn't going to command a price tag as high as $200 million or more, that may well increase Houston's odds of landing him. The Astros have the third-highest payroll in MLB in 2024, and homegrown stars like Framber Valdez and Kyle Tucker are still up for extensions.

Plus, home runs speak for themselves, and Alonso has 219 of those since coming into the league. That's one behind New York Yankees star Aaron Judge for the most in baseball in that time frame.

If Alonso can continue to be a 40-homer threat into his 30s, he will be the answer Houston has long sought at first base. But the question will be whether or not they believe in him enough to make a winning bid this winter.

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