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MLB free agent rankings: Top five first basemen originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
First base is not a necessary position for the Boston Red Sox heading into the offseason. Except surprises, Tristón Casas is locked up as the team’s opening day first baseman in 2025.
Still, with a lack of right-handed talent in the lineup, the Red Sox front office may want to explore the possibility of signing one of the best slugging first basemen available in free agency. New York Mets star Pete Alonso tops the list of attractive options.
More MLB free agent rankings for 2025
Here’s a look at the top five. . .
1. Pete Alonso
Age: 30
2024 statistics: .240/.329/.459, 34 HR, 88 RBI, 172 SO, 70 BB (162 games)
Alonso is on the short list of players who will appear in all 162 games this season. His clutch moments in the postseason may have convinced the Mets to pay him this winter. But if New York moves on from its All-Star slugger, Boston should at least consider signing him as a designated hitter/first baseman with a swing tailor-made for Fenway Park. Alonso has hit at least 34 home runs in every season except the shortened 2020 campaign.
2.Christian Walker
Age: 34
2024 statistics: .251/.335/.468, 26 HR, 84 RBI, 133 SO, 55 BB (130 games)
Walker is one of the most underrated players in football today. An exceptional defender at first base with two Gold Gloves under his belt, the veteran is a safe bet for approximately 30 home runs when healthy. The D’backs will likely do everything they can to keep him in Arizona, where he has spent the last eight seasons, but he is set to earn a sizable contract on the open market.
3. Paul Goldschmidt
Age: 37
2024 statistics: .245/.302/.414, 22 home runs, 65 RBI, 173 strikeouts, 47 balls
Maybe it was just a bad year, but Goldschmidt showed his age in 2024 with the worst offensive season of his illustrious career. Just two years removed from winning the National League Most Valuable Player award, Goldschmidt tied his career high for strikeouts and posted a .716 OPS. He had never had a season with an OPS below .800 before.
4. Antonio Rizzo
Age: 35
2024 statistics: .228/.301/.335, 8 HR, 35 RBI, 65 SO, 27 BB (92 games)
Note: Rizzo has a $17 million club option with the New York Yankees for the 2025 season.
Rizzo landed on the disabled list early in the 2024 season with a broken arm that forced him to miss nearly half the season. He wasn’t as effective when healthy as he produced his worst offensive season since his rookie year. Still, with three All-Star nods, a World Series title and four Gold Gloves on his resume, he will be one of the best first basemen available if the Yankees decline his option.
5. Rhys Hoskins
Age: 32
2024 statistics: .214/.303/.419, 26 HR, 82 RBI, 149 SO, 53 BB (131 games)
Note: Hoskins has an $18 million player option with the Milwaukee Brewers for the 2025 season.
Hoskins signed with the Brewers last offseason after missing all of 2023 with a torn ACL. While his power numbers were on par with the rest of his career, it was a down offensive season for him by every metric except home runs and RBI. His OPS+ of 98 marked the lowest of his career.
It seems unlikely that Hoskins will opt out after a lackluster campaign. If he does, he’s a solid bounce-back candidate for teams looking for right-handed pop.
Honorable mentions: Carlos Santana, Justin Turner, Joey Gallo, Josh Bell, Wilmer Flores.
