In the end, it was a combination of inconsistent starting pitching and untimely hitting that led to the San Diego Padres being bounced out of the Wild Card round. The latter has manifested from the inability
of the lineup to string multiple hits to begin a scoring rally or hit a home run with runners on base.
In the regular season, the Padres hit only 152 HRs, which ranked 28th in the majors. The roster had only two players (Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr.) to hit 25 or more home runs this season. It was a shortcoming that doomed the Friars from Opening Day to the Wild Card Series finale.
Team President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller has a major decision ahead. Should he go all in on signing free agent Pete Alonso to a big-money contract this winter? It is an interesting proposition, especially after his strong season with the New York Mets.
Is Alonso a solution to the Friars’ power drought?
After endless negotiations, both sides reached an agreement on a one-year deal worth $30 million. Alonso wasted no time finding his groove at the plate. His final statistical numbers should provide a nice payday for him.
He is one of the more intriguing names on this winter’s free agent market. Alonso hit .272 with 38 HRs and 126 RBIs. His home run total was four under his career season average, but Alonso drove in the second highest RBI total of his seven-year major league career.
Given the authority with which Alonso hits the ball (54.5% hard hit rate), few major leaguers have a higher exit velocity than his 93.5 MPH. And let’s not forget that he improved on his career batting average by a whopping 18 points this season.
His strikeout rate (22.8%) is on par with the major league average (22.7%), but there is room for improvement. Alonso has proven to have a good eye, as he rarely chases pitches out of the strike zone. However, his walk rate (8.5%) could be better. The major league rate among hitters is 9.7%.
The lone on-field negative is his defense, as Alonso led all first basemen with 10 errors on the season. But to be fair, most of his errors were of the throwing variety. Alonso’s fielding range is undervalued, but his throws to the pitcher covering first base can be considered an adventure.
Padres running out of solutions
The Padres came into the 2025 season with high expectations. But the Friars did not get much production from the first base position.
The signing of Alonso offers a higher ceiling in the middle of the order that we may not have seen since the late 90s. The lone concern might be having a batting lineup that is more right-handed dominant.
Until further notice, payroll will always be an issue for the Padres. Besides Kyle Schwarber, Alonso is the best power bat available that will not cost you to mortgage your future further by trading away prospects.
His bat is outstanding and elevates any lineup to an elite level. Alonso is in a prime position to choose a franchise that meets his needs.
The Friars hope it will not break the bank.
