The New York Mets, as of about 12 noon on Wednesday, Dec. 10, have a glaring hole at first base.
That's a spot that's been occupied without question by Pete Alonso for the past seven seasons.
In 2026, there'll be someone new over there.
Alonso has signed with the Baltimore Orioles in free agency, getting a massive five-year, $155 million deal. The Mets are left trying to pick up the pieces.
There are a few things to consider, but the most notable one is this: Who's at first?
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What first basemen are still free agents?
The two most notable free agent first basemen this offseason are off the board: Alonso to the Orioles, and Josh Naylor returning to the Mariners.
It's a big drop-off after them.
The best first baseman remaining is Ryan O'Hearn, a solid slugger but not an All-Star-level player.
After that, it's deciding between someone with a unique skillset like Luis Arraez, a middling hitter like Nathaniel Lowe, or going shopping for veterans like Carlos Santana, Paul Goldschmidt, Rhys Hoskins, or Wilmer Flores.
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Why the Mets need to win bidding for Japanese star
There are two Japanese stars coming stateside who both can play first base, in addition to other positions.
Munetaka Murakami is the big slugger of the pair, with a 2022 season with 56 home runs on his ledger. He's nominally a third baseman but may be better suited for first base.
Kazuma Okamoto is also on the board. He can play first, too, and is more of an all-around bat as opposed to Murakami's power approach.
Both would have a longer runway to be the Mets' first baseman of the future than any of the other stopgap options remaining in free agency.
Filling Alonso's shoes won't be easy, but the Mets have to figure this out, and quickly.
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