NEW YORK – For all the talk around baseball about Juan Soto’s future, another slugging star strangely stayed out of the spotlight in the first month of his free agency.

According to several industry experts, the market for Pete Alonso is unlikely to fully develop until Soto is signed. That’s no surprise considering Soto is Plan A for several major clubs, including the Mets, Yankees and Red Sox. Any team that fails to pursue him will, in theory, be able to provide Alonso with additional resources.

Here’s a look at the first baseman market ahead of the Winter Meetings:

Has Alonso received any offers?
It is currently unclear whether Alonso has received any formal offers. He reportedly turned down a seven-year, $158 million contract extension in 2023 that could have made him a Met for life. But since the first week of November he has been able to negotiate with all 30 teams.

Regardless of any discussions that have already taken place, there is little incentive for Alonso to sign until Soto does. For the teams that don’t sign Soto, the idea of ​​signing Alonso could easily go from theory to practice. The fact that Soto and Alonso share a common agent, Scott Boras, only highlights the likelihood that the latter won’t sign until the former does.

Which teams might be interested?
Not surprisingly, the Mets top this list. Although Alonso has never explicitly mentioned a return to Queens as his first choice, he has often spoken about his love for New York. The only question is to what extent it is reciprocal. The Mets — who are not only targeting Soto but also plan to commit tens of millions of dollars additional to pitchers — may not be willing to pay Alonso the premium he seeks. However, if the Mets don’t sign Soto, their priorities could shift back to one of the strongest power hitters still on the market.

Outside of the Mets, the Yankees remain the most obvious play for Alonso. With Anthony Rizzo gone, the high-market Yankees have a first base hole that they will struggle to fill with confidence internally. Even if Soto returns to the Bronx, Alonso could theoretically come with him.

The Nationals have also been frequently linked to Alonso in media rumors. He’s exactly the type of player who could help a young team without an obvious mid-range power bat jump into contention. Likewise, clubs like the Giants and Mariners could become factors due to their need for offensive power. The Cubs have long seemed like a logical landing spot as well, although Michael Busch’s emergence may have changed that equation somewhat for Chicago.

Finally, don’t discount the Soto applicants in Boston and Toronto, especially if they fail at this goal. These adjustments aren’t so clear-cut on paper, but if the Red Sox were willing to trade Triston Casas or move him to DH, or if the Blue Jays were willing to do the same with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., an Alonso- Access makes sense.

What could an Alonso contract look like?
Given that Alonso has reportedly already turned down a $158 million deal, it stands to reason that he will be looking for more on the open market. That might be a tough question considering his closest historical counterparts, Matt Olson (eight years, $168 million) and Freddie Freeman (six years, $162 million), signed their contracts just three years ago.

Rumor has it that Boras prefers the senior first basemen of Miguel Cabrera (eight years, $248 million), Albert Pujols (10 years, $240 million), Joey Votto (10 years, $225 million) and Prince Fielder (nine years, $214). Million). In the fast-paced world of baseball contracts, deals like this are a long story, and none of them ended up adding any value. Therefore, Alonso is unlikely to reach those numbers, even taking into account Boras’ reputation for persuasiveness. But a nine-figure deal seems likely.

When could he sign?
Once Soto leaves the board, expect the Alonso market to heat up. Teams in need of first base power won’t want to wait too long, considering the next best option at the position, Christian Walker, is entering his age-34 season – and Walker compares favorably to the other names young outside. It’s a weak market overall.

Although Boras is known for dragging out negotiations for many clients, it would be no surprise to see Alonso sign his contract or shortly after the holidays.