Cubs Rumors: Latest Pete Alonso report ends the chances of Jed Hoyer signing him

Speculation that longtime New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso may have to settle for a short-term deal surfaced in recent weeks, but the latest report suggests the four-time All-Star and his agent, Scott Boras, aren't budging in their demands and are looking for 'at least' a six-year deal.

If that's the case - and he's not interested in a short-term, high-AAV deal, there's no chance the Cubs will slip in and sign Alonso. Even on a short pact, the roster fit is tenuous, at best, and would almost necessitate trading Seiya Suzuki to open up the DH spot given the team's faith in Michael Busch as a long-term answer at first base.

A return to the Mets is viewed as a coin flip, but finding another landing spot isn't easy, either. There are reportedly eight teams with some degree of interest in Alonso - but few, if any, seem to have any interest in his services if they come with a Prince Fielder-esque contract. Clubs connected to him so far include the Giants, Angels, Blue Jays and Red Sox.

Last season with New York, Alonso slashed .240/.329/.459 in a relatively down year that still saw him hit 34 home runs and post a 123 OPS+, appearing in all 162 games. There's no doubt adding his power to the lineup would be nice, but the positional fit in Chicago isn't there.

A six-year deal would carry him through his age-36 season (he just turned 30 in December) and he's been as reliable as they come in terms of health. But the downturn in his production in 2024 (his 2.6 bWAR was a career-low, excluding the shortened 2020 season) has the league wary of investing in him long-term.

He's one of the bigger-name free agents still available, and while the Cubs need positional depth to round out the roster, expect any large expenditures - whether it be in free agency or trade to come on the pitching side of things. Chicago still needs proven arms in the bullpen and could stand to further add to the rotation, even after the early offseason signing of Matthew Boyd.