The Chicago Cubs have one goal this winter: to sign as many good players as possible in free agency. That's certainly easier said than done, as the Cubs will have challenges landing players and evaluating talent.
Some players on the market are nearly guaranteed to succeed with their next team. A few elite players on the market should find success no matter where they end up, which makes Chicago's job a bit easier if they were to land any of them.
Among those could be Pete Alonso. Outside of maybe two or three hitters, there hasn't been a better power hitter in Major League Baseball since he debuted.
From an offensive standpoint, he'd be an excellent addition to the Cubs, but Matt Higgins of Sportsnaut urged teams to be careful with the slugger.
Higgins named Alonso one of the seven "most overrated" free agents on the market this winter.
"The slugger is a good player, but will he be worth $200 million over seven years when he’s about to turn 30? That’s the question clubs must ask themselves, including the New York Mets, as they look to construct their roster for 2025. Alonso’s numbers have declined over the last three years. His OPS has dropped from .869 to .788, his strikeouts increased from 128 to 172, and he hit 34 home runs this season compared to 46 last year. He also doesn’t offer much defensively at first base, suggesting a move to full-time designated hitter by the end of his contract. With his numbers already declining, teams could be on the hook for a quickly aging veteran."
Given his potential contract, it's not the craziest suggestion to say Alonso might be a bit overrated. However, from a production standpoint, that label would be unfair.
Not only has he hit 226 home runs in six years and at least 34 in every season that wasn't the COVID campaign, but Alonso has also played in at least 152 games in every full season he's played in.
That's extremely valuable, as he's given his team a chance to win every game with him in the lineup.
His 2024 showing was a bit down in comparison to prior campaigns. He slashed .240/.329/.459 with a 123 OPS+ and 34 home runs.
Alonso's 34 home runs were the fewest he hit in a regular season. In addition, his 123 OPS+ tied a career low in a full year.
