10 players who could replace Paul Goldschmidt at first for the Cardinals

Pete Alonso

Pete Alonso is another expensive free agent on my list. He presents a different profile than Christian Walker in more ways than one, and he'll likely cost far more in both years and dollars than Walker will this offseason.

Polar Bear Pete has not endeared himself to Cardinals fans these past few years following his involvement in a benches-clearing brawl in 2022 and him tossing Masyn Winn's first career hit into the stands. Those aren't actions that will make fans cozy up to you by any means.

However, it is undeniable that Alonso has been one of baseball's best hitters for the last half-decade. Since debuting in 2019, he trails only Aaron Judge in home runs in baseball with 226 total. He's a career .249/.339/.514 hitter for an OPS+ of 134. It's not often a guy of Pete Alonso's stature becomes available to the entire league.

The former Rookie of the Year has been a negative defender at first throughout his career according to outs above average with a net score of -25 OAA. He struggles moving to his right in the field primarily.

Alonso is represented by Scott Boras at the moment, so he'll fetch a hefty contract. Spotrac estimates his market value at $29 million annually. They project a six-year, $175 million contract for Pete Alonso. There does not exist a reality where the Cardinals sign Pete Alonso, but one can still dream, right?