Better is Earned.

[Soapy]

Tampa's own Pete Alonso returns to the Bay with five year, $72.7 million deal with Rays
Adam Berry -- MLB.com Beat Reporter

Standing in front of the visitor’s dugout at Tropicana Field, slugger Pete Alonso scans the empty upper deck along the third base line.

“I think the really special thing, one of the biggest games I’ve seen here ... against the Red Sox (in the American League Championship Series) of that playoff run in 2008,” Alonso says. “That was that was really, really special to see that. My dad and I were here, up there in the third deck somewhere.”

For Alonso, who grew up across the bridge in Tampa, Tropicana Field is where the vision of becoming a Major League Baseball player blossomed. So when Tampa came calling, he answered.

The 29-year old signed a five year, $72.7 million deal to join the Rays after spending the first six years of his MLB career with the New York Mets.

“I love it here,” Alonso says of Tampa Bay. “It’s great to come home.”

Prior to last season, Alonso had hit at least 40 home runs in his previous two seasons and a record 53 in his rookie year of 2019. He was projected to get a mega, multi-year contract, which Spotrac estimated last offseason will be in the $263 million range which many thought would keep the Rays out of the sweepstakes. But after receiving a reported five-year, $69 million extension from the Mets following a disappointing season, the Rays became a real possibility with the added benefit of coming home.

Alonso comes back to the area every year. He hosts a charity home run derby with some of the many major-leaguers who spend their winters here. Proceeds from the event have gone back into the community. The Alonso Foundation donated a field tractor to West Tampa Little League and rebuilt the park’s batting cages in 2023. In January of this year, Alonso was the grand marshal at the Gasparilla children’s parade.

He is entrenched in the community, and Alonso says Tampa Bay is entrenched in him as a player.

“Tampa is just one of those cities where baseball is woven in the fabric of the city because we have great weather all year. I think my love for baseball was really inspired by just being able to play on a consistent basis,” he says with a big smile “And Tampa is one of those cities where there’s a ton of ball fields, a ton of people who play ball and it just makes it so much more fun.”

With Alonso added into the heart of the lineup, the Rays project to have one of the better 3-4-5 hitters in Randy Arozarena, Isaac Paredes and Pete Alonso.

[Soapy]

Rays go aggressive with signing of Pete Alonso, will it be enough to overtake AL's best?
Adam Berry -- MLB.com Beat Reporter

By their own standards, the Tampa Bay Rays were extremely busy this winter, landing arguably the franchise's biggest free agent signing in Pete Alonso.

Alonso signed a five-year, $72.7 million deal with the Rays which would turn out to be an omen for a suppressed free agent class that saw Juan Soto sign a five year, $159 million deal with the Pirates that paled in comparison to the mega-deal that many projected him, Alonso and other top free agents to land.

The Rays weren't spilling money at the bar, however, as they chose not to re-sign top bullpen arm Phil Maton who signed a one year, $8.6 million contract with the Braves. The Rays reportedly made a competitive offer but ultimately bowed out, opting to sign the trio of relievers Matt Moore, Chris Martin and Blake Treinen for a combined $11 million AAV with Moore and Martin being two year deals.

Martin was a fantastic bullpen arm for the Red Sox back in 2023 with a 1.05 ERA and 8.06 K/9 with both numbers taking a dip in 2024 (3.04 ERA, 4.56 K/9) but he still remains a reliable arm in the bullpen at 38 years old. Moore is another veteran arm that will likely play a middle reliever role for the Rays along with Treinen and Colin Poche with Shane Baz returning to his role as their spot starter. He set multiple strikeout records for the Rays' farm system before making his major league debut in 2011. Moore spent two full seasons with the Rays before Tommy John surgery caused him to miss the 2014 season. He returned in 2015, and was traded to the Giants the following year.

They also addressed key depth needs with the signing of third baseman Gio Urshela and outfielder Garrett Hampson. Another off-season signing to keep an eye on is international free agent Luis Quintero who had plenty of suitors before signing with the Rays. The Puerto Rican product last played professionally in the Dominican Republic and is a dynamic power bat that could be fast tracked to the Majors at 19 years old, if the Rays need it. Between Quintero, Carson Williams, Dalton Rushing and newly drafted Benito Negron, the Rays Double-A squad might be worth catching a few games.

Rays Free Agent Signings
1B Pete Alonso (5yr/$72.7m)
3B Gio Urshela (1yr/$2.8m)
RP Matt Moore (2yr/$10.20m)
RP Chris Martin (2yr/$8m)
RP Blake Treinen (1yr/$2m)
CF Garrett Hampson (1yr/$3.7m)
C Yan Gomes (1yr/$2m)

International Free Agent Signings
1B/OF Luis Quintero | Age 19 | Puerto Rico

Resigned Free Agents
C Francisco Mejia | Age 29 | 107 G, .229 Avg, .298 OBP, .369 SLG, 13 HR, 41 RBI, 33 BB, 51 SO, 3 SB | 1yr/$4.6m
2B Amed Rosario | Age 29 | 142 G, .261 Avg, .305 OBP, .413 SLG, 14 HR, 69 RBI, 31 BB, 71 SO, 18 SB | 1yr/$2.9m

Unsigned Free Agents
3B Evan Longoria | Age 39 | 27 G, .267 Avg, .313 OBP, .400 SLG, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 6 BB, 15 SO
SP Jake Odorizzi | Age 35 | AAA
RP Erasmo Ramirez | Age 34 | AAA

Notable Arbitration Results
SP Drew Rasmussen | Age 29 | 1-1, 13 K, 3.46 ERA
OF Randy Arozarena | Age 30 | 148 G, .263 Avg, .328 OBP, .424 SLG, 17 HR, 63 RBI, 52 BB, 105 SO, 30 SB
3B Isaac Paredes | Age 26 | 145 G, .267 Avg, .343 OBP, .507 SLG, 36 HR, 102 RBI, 60 BB, 121 SO, 4 SB
SP Aaron Civale | Age 29 | 17-7, 147 K, 2.75 ERA
RP Jason Adams | Age 33 | 4-1, 3 SV, 4 BSV, 19 HLD, 68 K, 3.71 ERA
CF Jose Siri | Age 29 | 139 G, .207 Avg, .258 OBP, .362 SLG, 16 HR, 56 RBI, 34 BB, 144 SO, 22 SB
RP Colin Poche | Age 31 | 3-3, 11 HLD, 56 K, 2.80 ERA
SP/RP Shane Baz | Age 25 | 18-10, HLD, 192 K, 3.74 ERA
SP Zack Littell | Age 29 | 4-10, HLD, 83 K, 5.06 ERA
SS Taylor Walls | Age 28 | 47 G, .265 Avg, .403 OBP, .333 SLG, HR, 8 RBI, 23 BB, 26 SO, 10 SB
1B Harold Ramirez | Age 30 | 105 G, .300 Avg, .338 OBP, .431 SLG, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 20 BB, 48 SO, 3 SB

Top Free Agent Signings
SP Corbin Burnes (6r/$92.4m)
SP Max Fried (4yr/$44.8m)
SP Shane Bieber (3yr/$52.2m)
SP Jordan Montgomery (1yr/$8.9m)
SP Walker Buehler (2yr/$12.8m)

RP Phil Maton (1yr/$8.6m)
RP Jeff Hoffman (2yr/$10.2m)
RP Chris Martin (2yr/$8m)
RP Matt Strahm (1yr/$5.9m)
RP Matt Moore (1yr/$4.7m)

CP Tanner Scott (6yr/$52.2m)
CP Clay Holmes (2yr/$21m)
CP Jose LeClerc (3yr/$16.2m)
CP Paul Sewald (1yr/$3.6m)
CP Kenley Jansen (1yr/$5.7m)

C Danny Jansen (4yr/$31.6m)
C Gary Sanchez (1yr/$5.8m)

1B Pete Alonso (5yr/$73m)
1B Paul Goldschmidt (1yr/$9.7m)
1B Joey Gallo (2yr/$8.8m)

2B Gleyber Torres (4yr/$28.4m)
2B Brandon Drury (1yr/$11.2m)
2B Whit Merrifield (1yr/$4.4m)

SS Willy Adames (5yr/$47.5m)

OF Juan Soto (5yr/$159m)
OF Teoscar Hernandez (1yr/$7.1m)
OF Adam Duvall
OF Kevin Kiermaier (1yr/$7m)
OF Anthony Santander (4yr/$27m)
OF Max Kepler (1yr/$7.9m)

[Captain Canada]

One of my favorite players. One hell of an acquisition

[Soapy]

One of my favorite players. One hell of an acquisition

yessir, wasn't sure if it was realistic to have the rays spend big money but once i saw he was from tampa, seemed like a layup

[Soapy]

Projected Pitching Rotation
SP Shane McClanahan
SP Drew Rasmussen
SP Zach Eflin
SP Aaron Civale
SP Shane Baz

Bullpen
SP/LRP Taj Bradley
RP Colin Poche
RP Matt Moore
RP Kevin Kelly
SU Chris Martin
SU Jason Adam
CP Pete Fairbanks

Projected Depth Chart
C Francisco Mejia
1B Pete Alonso
2B Isaac Paredes
3B Yandy Diaz
SS Junior Caminero
LF Randy Arozarena
CF Jose Siri
RF Josh Lowe
------
DH Harold Ramirez
C Rene Pinto
IF Brandon Lowe
IF Amed Rosario
IF Taylor Walls
OF Stone Garrett

Notable Minor League Veterans
RP Blake Treinen | 36 yo | 472 G, 79 SV, 25 BS, 89 HLD, 205 BB, 527 K, 2.97 ERA
SP Zack Littell | 29 yo | 204 G, 35 GS, 20 W, 21 L, 98 B, 308 K, 4.39 ERA
SP Ryan Pepiot | 27 yo | 40 G, 15 GS, 9 W, 4 L, 68 B, 134 K, 3.29 ERA
C Yan Gomes | 37 yo | 1207 G, .250 AVG, .298 OBP, 413 SLG, .7711 OPS, 144 HR, 560 RBI
CF Garrett Hampson | 30 yo | 639 G, .238 AV, .304 OBP, .352 SLG, .657 OPS, 32 HR, 143 RBI

Notable Minor League Prospects
1B Luis Quintero | 19 yo | International Signing | MLB ETA: 2025
SP Hurston Waldrep | 22 yo | #4 MLB Top 100 Prospects | MLB ETA: 2025
SP Jose Sandoval | 18 yo | #11 MLB Top 100 Prospects | MLB ETA: 2029
1B Xavier Isaac | 21 yo | #15 MLB Top 100 Prospects | MLB ETA: 2025 September Call Ups
SS Carson Williams | 21 yo | #16 MLB Top 100 Prospects | MLB ETA: 2025 September Call Ups
SP Albert Duffy | 18 yo | #37 MLB Top 100 Prospects | MLB ETA: 2027
SP Alexi Caruso | 18 yo | #53 MLB Top 100 Prospects | MLB ETA: 2029
C Dalton Rushing | 23 yo | #79 MLB Top 100 Prospects | MLB ETA: 2026

[Captain Canada]

We back?

[Soapy]

We back?

yessir!

[six7]

rays spending money?! I like it

[Soapy]

pump faked y'all

WWE 2K24 hit the PS+ monthly game and I haven't played that game since Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 so deleted MLBTS for it

[James]

Breaks my heart to see that.