NEW YORK — A year after discovering teams across Major League Baseball did not deem him worthy of a lengthy contract, Pete Alonso is back on the free agent market searching for long-term love again.

In February, after an extended standoff, Alonso settled for a two-year, $54 million deal to return to the New York Mets with an opt-out after the 2025 season. He was paid $30 million for this year and posted numbers good enough to make opting out the clear choice. And Alonso didn’t waste time, announcing that was his plan minutes after the Mets lost their final regular-season game against the Miami Marlins to fall short of the playoffs.

His chances of finding a long-term partner are higher this time around for a few reasons. The first one is clear: He’s coming off a significantly stronger campaign. Alonso had his worst season in 2024, slashing .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs. That, in a vacuum, was good production. But it was his fourth straight season with declining numbers — an alarming pattern considering Alonso was about to turn 30 and didn’t add value on defense or the basepaths.

The metrics suggested Alonso was still one of the worst defensive first basemen in baseball in 2025 — his minus-9 defensive runs saved and minus-9 outs above average both ranked 18th out of 18 qualified first basemen — but he rebounded in the batter’s box. With an adjusted swing and approach, Alonso hit the ball harder — his 93.5 mph average exit velocity was a career high — and the production followed.

He slashed .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs mostly hitting behind Juan Soto. His 141 wRC+ was tied for the second-largest output of his career. He set the franchise record for career home runs, further solidifying his place as one of the most beloved Mets in recent history.

Also of note: Alonso played in all 162 games for the second consecutive season and has appeared in 1,008 of the Mets’ 1,032 regular-season games since debuting in 2019. He has started 993 of those games at first base, 60 at DH.

Over that span, his 264 career home runs rank third in baseball behind only Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber, a fellow free agent. Alonso is durable and consistent.

Then there’s the market. Alonso and Schwarber are the two premier power bats available in free agency this offseason. At first base, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s decision to sign a 14-year, $500 million extension with Toronto in April removed Alonso’s stiffest positional competition. Josh Naylor is a tier below — and a different player with less power but better defensively and on the bases — and Seattle wasn’t going to spend the necessary money for Alonso, but the Mariners retaining their first baseman nevertheless removes an option at the position for other clubs.

Add it up and Alonso should find a deal in the range of four to five years. The question is where. Here are a few possible landing spots for the five-time All-Star, starting with his three most aggressive suitors so far, including the only team he has ever known.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said last week that he would “love” to bring back Alonso and closer Edwin Diaz, another All-Star free agent. Alonso’s stated willingness to serve as a designated hitter, at least in a part-time capacity, doesn’t hurt as the Mets prioritize improving a defense that regressed in 2025.

“He’s clearly a really good offensive player,” Stearns said at the GM meetings in Las Vegas. “And I think for any team the ability to get his bat in the lineup in multiple ways is helpful. And it’s great to know that Pete is open to stuff like that.”

But the Mets’ top offseason priority is pitching — in the rotation and the bullpen — and they have internal options for first base and DH in the short and long term. Mark Vientos, Brett Baty and Jeff McNeil could play first base. Juan Soto, after a poor defensive year in right field, will eventually see time at DH. Further, Stearns’ unwillingness to give Alonso what he wanted last winter indicates he prefers not to make that level of investment in him.

The Mets haven’t had someone other than Alonso start at first base on Opening Day since Adrián González began a 54-game cameo to conclude his career in 2018. A year later, Alonso debuted and went on to club 54 home runs en route to being named National League Rookie of the Year. He became a fan favorite in Queens over his seven seasons. But he could find himself in another uniform in 2026.

First base production in 2025: .244/.305/.386, 16 HR, 86 wRC+, -0.7 fWAR

Primary first basemen: Abraham Toro (57 starts), Romy Gonzalez (41), Triston Casas (27), Nathaniel Lowe (26)

Designated hitter production in 2025: .272/.361/.465, 26 HR, 125 wRC+, 2.5 fWAR

Primary designated hitters: Rafael Devers (73), Masataka Yoshida (44), Rob Refsnyder (18), Roman Anthony (17)

Most of Boston’s DH production last season came from Devers before he was traded in June. First base was a major problem beginning with Casas’ slow start and exacerbated when he was lost for the season with a knee injury in early May. The logical choice to replace him — Devers — refused the assignment, which led to Boston shipping him to San Francisco.

Toro, Gonzalez and Lowe, who was signed in August, handled the duty for the remainder of the season. Toro was designated for assignment in August. Lowe met the same fate Tuesday.

The Red Sox president of baseball operations, Craig Breslow, has made it clear: He wants to acquire an accomplished middle-of-the-order bat, preferably a right-handed one. Trading Devers, combined with Alex Bregman‘s free agency, has left the Red Sox without much proven slug in their lineup. A reunion with Bregman would check that box. As would signing Alonso, who could split time at first base and DH with Casas if Boston were to keep him.

Do the Red Sox have the appetite for both free agents? Trading Devers moved $29.1 million off the competitive balance tax payroll for each of the next eight years. The Red Sox had approximately $98 million of their relatively modest $201 million CBT payroll come off the books after the season. Their 2026 payroll is projected to include more than $50 million in raises, but Boston is a big-market club with plenty of money to fill its needs.

First base production in 2025: .252/.318/.445, 29 HR, 107 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR

Primary first basemen: Spencer Steer (113 starts), Christian Encarnacion-Strand (25)

Designated hitter production in 2025: .240/.313/.407, 21 HR, 96 wRC+, -0.2 fWAR

Primary designated hitters: Gavin Lux (57 starts), Austin Hays (38), Miguel Andujar (20), Tyler Stephenson (17), Steer (16)

The Reds finished 14th in the majors in runs scored, but their collective 92 wRC+, a metric that adjusts for park factors and league context, ranked 24th. The Reds know there’s room for improvement playing half of their games at Great American Ball Park, a hitter’s haven, so they’re seeking to strengthen their offense.

First base and DH aren’t obvious needs. Spencer Steer clubbed 21 home runs in 146 games. Sal Stewart, who turns 22 next month, will be a bigger part of the calculus after posting a 121 OPS+ in his first 18 career games. But Alonso resides on another level. As does Schwarber, a Cincinnati-area native.

Now, the money part. Signing either slugger would require the largest free agent contract in franchise history; the current high mark is the two four-year, $64 million deals given to Nick Castellanos and Mike Moustakas in 2020. The Reds are estimated to carry a $120 million CBT payroll for next season after finishing with a $143 million payroll in 2025, their highest since 2021. That projection includes expected raises. If investing in a premier free agent is too rich — or if they all simply decide to play elsewhere — the Reds could land a cheaper alternative in the trade market by dealing from their starting rotation depth.

First base production in 2025: .262/.351/.479, 32 HR, 128 wRC+, 3.9 fWAR

Primary first basemen: Bryce Harper (130 starts)

Designated hitter production in 2025: .238/.362/.566, 57 HR, 152 wRC+, 5.1 fWAR

Primary designated hitters: Kyle Schwarber (154 starts)

With Bryce Harper at first base, Alonso probably would only make sense for the Phillies if they do not re-sign Schwarber — the best designated hitter in the majors this side of Shohei Ohtani. But Phillies owner John Middleton isn’t afraid to spend money, and the team could make both Alonso and Schwarber work by moving Harper back to the outfield. Offensively, Alonso’s right-handed bat makes sense, since the Phillies are expected to move on from Nick Castellanos, catcher J.T. Realmuto is a free agent, and Alec Bohm is a candidate for a trade.

First base production in 2025: .246/.323/.411, 18 HR, 103 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR

Primary first basemen: Spencer Horwitz (93 starts), Enmanuel Valdez (22)

Designated hitter production in 2025: .238/.328/.390, 19 HR, 98 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR

Primary designated hitters: Andrew McCutchen (120 starts), Bryan Reynolds (34)

This is a long shot, but the Pirates want to spend money on upgrading their offense to complement a strong pitching staff headlined by Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes. Like the A’s last winter in their quest to upgrade their starting rotation, that could require overpaying for an impact bat. The price of doing business.

First base production in 2025: .243/.310/.369, 14 HR, 92 wRC+, 0.6 fWAR

Primary first basemen: Coby Mayo (67 starts), Ryan Mountcastle (50), Ryan O’Hearn (39)

Designated hitter production in 2025: .221/.296/.380, 22 HR, 90 wRC+, -0.5 fWAR

Primary designated hitters: Mountcastle (33 starts), O’Hearn (31), Adley Rutschman (18), Jordan Westburg (16), Tyler O’Neill (13)

At the GM meetings, Orioles general manager Mike Elias said he wanted to add a power hitter, preferably an outfielder, this offseason. Acquiring Taylor Ward for right-hander Grayson Rodriguez on Tuesday checked that box. But they could always add more slug and Alonso would give them plenty.

Designated hitter production in 2025: .282/.354/.484, 34 HR, 133 wRC+, 3.6 fWAR

Primary designated hitters: George Springer (80 starts), Anthony Santander (30), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (24)

This fit isn’t clean, but the Blue Jays could lose the right-handed-hitting Bo Bichette in free agency this winter and Alonso could serve as a replacement. The Blue Jays expressed interest in Alonso last winter, but that was when Guerrero’s future was very uncertain. We’re not even going to bother listing first base as a possibility for Alonso in Toronto because that’s Guerrero’s job for a very long time. Springer enjoyed a resurgent season primarily as Toronto’s DH, so he would have to move back to the outfield to make room for Alonso.

NCAA athletes and athletic department staff will not be allowed to bet on professional sports after the organization’s membership voted Friday to rescind a rule change that would have permitted those bets.

The move follows a string of high-profile gambling cases that have raised questions about the integrity of competition in college and pro sports. In late October, Chauncey Billups, coach of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested in a takedown of two sprawling gambling operations. Rozier was accused of exploiting private information about players to win bets on NBA games.

The NCAA announced two weeks ago that it was revoking the eligibility of six men’s basketball players over allegations of sports betting. And on Friday, the NCAA said former Temple guard Hysier Miller placed dozens of bets on Owls games, including some against his team.

The rule change to allow gambling on pro sports would have taken effect on Nov. 1, but under a rarely used rule, each Division I school was given 30 days to vote to rescind the proposal, since it was adopted by less than 75% of the DI cabinet.

More than two-thirds of DI members needed to vote to stop the rule change, and that number was reached on Friday. The 30-day period would have ended Saturday.

Even if the rule had passed, athletes and athletic department staff would have continued to be banned from any betting on NCAA events.

The vote by DI members also applies to Divisions II and III, which had also been poised to allow gambling on pro sports. Such bets will continue to be banned at all three levels.

Late last month, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey sent a note to NCAA president Charlie Baker expressing concerns about the rule change. The two members of the DI cabinet from the SEC had voted in favor of allowing pro sports betting.

NCAA enforcement caseloads involving sports betting violations have increased in recent years. There are at least another dozen cases currently being investigated.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Florida Gators won the SEC volleyball tournament title the last time it was played, but not a single player on this year’s team remembers it. In fact, just over half of the players on top-seeded Kentucky’s roster were alive. To put a finer point on it: Kentucky was still 15 years from becoming the first team in the SEC to win an NCAA volleyball championship. And Texas, a four-time NCAA champion, was still 19 years from joining the conference.

The SEC volleyball tournament returns this week for the first time since 2005. It features four teams ranked in the top 25, including three in the top six. The games begin Friday at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, and a champion will be crowned Tuesday.

The winner earns an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

“It reminds me of March Madness,” Texas star Torrey Stafford said. “It’s kind of like that vibe, and I’m excited for it.”

Kentucky, the No. 1 seed, is ranked second in the country. Texas A&M, ranked sixth, is the No. 2 seed, and Texas, ranked third in the nation, is the tournament’s No. 3 seed. Tennessee, the fourth seed, is ranked 18th in the country. The top four seeds get byes into the quarterfinals. The SEC is the only Power 4 conference that will hold a postseason tournament this season.

“I think it’s a good testing and steppingstone for going into the NCAA tournament,” Kentucky’s Brooklyn DeLeye said. “Because it’s one and done, and you kind of can figure out your weaknesses going into the biggest part of the year.”

Here are 10 players to watch in the tournament that has been revived after a 20-year hiatus.

Torrey Stafford, Texas: In her first season in Austin, the junior transfer from Pittsburgh leads the Longhorns in kills per set (4.64) and aces (27). The 6-foot-2 outside hitter warmed up her arm for the postseason with a career-high 32-kill performance against Auburn on Nov. 12. She added 25 in Texas’ regular-season finale against South Carolina on Nov. 16. Stafford delivers booming attacks from both the front and back rows with a heavy arm that can go over, inside and outside blocks. Stafford, who made back-to-back trips to the final four with the Panthers, is surrounded by determined freshmen who will look to her to guide them to postseason success.

Cari Spears, Texas: The 6-3 outside hitter is part of a fantastic freshman class at Texas that is making an immediate impact. Spears has played in every set since joining the team and has had double-digit kills in 19 of the Longhorns’ 23 matches, including a career-high 18 against Baylor. Alongside fellow freshman outside hitter Abby Vander Wal (225 kills) and freshman middle blocker Taylor Harvey, look for Spears to deliver a dominant postseason debut.

Brooklyn DeLeye, Kentucky: You won’t find a better pair of pin hitters in the country than the dominant duo at Kentucky. DeLeye, a 6-2 junior, was the 2024 SEC Player of the Year and is still putting up big numbers this season in a more balanced offense. She led Kentucky in kills (401) and points (436) during the regular season, averaging 4.66 kills per set (second-best in SEC) and 5.07 points per set (fourth-best in SEC).

Eva Hudson, Kentucky: There’s no rest for the weary when DeLeye rotates to the back row because it means that Hudson, the 2025 SEC Player of the Year, rotates to the front. The 6-1 senior transfer from Purdue has numbers eerily similar to DeLeye’s: 390 kills (fifth-best in SEC) and 4.94 points per set (sixth-best in SEC). The most noticeable difference between the two Wildcats might be that Hudson plays with fire while DeLeye is mostly ice. Hudson, who led the Big Ten in kills last season, gets one shot at the postseason with Kentucky, so the urgency will be there from first serve on.

Logan Lednicky, Texas A&M: The senior’s dad, granddad and great-granddad were all Aggies. So expect the 6-3 left-handed outside hitter to bring some extra fervor to Savannah for her first SEC tournament. Lednicky, who has 333 kills while hitting at a .312 clip, also averages a team-high 2.81 digs per set. She had 11 double-doubles during the regular season, including a 12-kill, 17-dig upset of Texas on Halloween night.

Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, Texas A&M: The 6-2 senior middle blocker’s name litters the national leaderboards. She’s third in the country in blocks per set with 1.66, ninth in total blocks with 146 and fifth in hitting percentage with a .441 clip. In the Aggies’ five-set win over Texas, Cos-Okpalla had a season-high 15 kills, including four in the fifth set, and a season high in points with 19.5.

Hayden Kubik, Tennessee: The senior outside hitter started her career at Nebraska alongside big sister Madi Kubik, but Hayden became a star at Tennessee. The versatile 6-2 Kubik had 338 kills during the regular season and averaged 4.23 per set. Her 4.67 points per set rank eighth in the SEC. She served 22 aces and racked up 175 digs heading into the postseason.

Alexis Stucky, Florida: The setter’s long list of accolades goes back to her childhood when she was a nine-time 4-H Horse state champion in Wyoming. The 6-2 redshirt junior brings a blend of poise and craftiness to Florida, which lost three of its final four matches heading into the tournament. Stucky, who missed parts of the past two seasons recovering from a torn ACL, had a rare volleyball triple-double in October against Auburn, finishing with 10 kills, 12 digs and 42 assists. Florida, the No. 5 seed, will be looking to win its 13th SEC tournament title.

Maya Sands, Missouri: The back-to-back-to-back SEC Libero of the Year had double-digit digs in all but two matches during the regular season and leads the conference with a total of 490. You can hardly blame her teammates when they claim there’s no need for them to play defense while Sands is on the court. The former UNLV star set a career high with 32 digs in an October win over South Carolina. The senior also has 29 aces this season, including three in a loss to Kentucky earlier this month. Missouri, the No. 6 seed, will count on Sands to help build its résumé for Selection Sunday.

Jurnee Robinson, LSU: She doesn’t overwhelm opponents with her 6-1 frame, but Robinson’s velocity and passion are another story. The Tigers’ junior outside hitter has one of the hardest swings in the country and more kills (495) than anyone in the SEC. For evidence of her dominance, rewind to early October when she totaled 67 kills on 139 attacks while hitting a combined .338 in back-to-back five-setters against Tennessee and Florida. Robinson, who pummeled 23 kills vs. UCLA in her first collegiate game two years ago, tallied her 1,000th career kill earlier this season. LSU, the No. 11 seed, will need a big week from Robinson if it hopes to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament.

ESPN’s Alyssa Haduck and Karina Mattera provided reporting for this story.

Schedule

Friday

No. 9 Oklahoma 3, No. 16 Arkansas 1
No. 13 South Carolina vs. No. 12 Alabama, 2, SEC Network
No. 15 Vanderbilt vs. No. 10 Mississippi State, 5, SEC Network
No. 14 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 LSU, 7, SEC Network

Saturday

Arkansas/Oklahoma vs. No. 8 Auburn, noon, SEC+
South Carolina/Alabama vs. No. 5 Florida, 2, SEC+
Vanderbilt/Mississippi State vs. No. 7 Georgia, 5, SEC+
Ole Miss/LSU vs. No. 6 Missouri, 7, SEC+

Sunday

Arkansas/Oklahoma/Auburn vs. No. 1 Kentucky, noon, SEC Network
South Carolina/Alabama/Florida, vs. No. 4 Tennessee, 2 , SEC Network
Vanderbilt/Mississippi State/Georgia vs. No. 2 Texas A&M, 5, SEC Network
Ole Miss/LSU/Missouri, vs. No. 3 Texas, 7, SEC Network

Monday

Semifinal 1, 6, SEC Network
Semifinal 2, 8:30, SEC Network

Tuesday

Championship, 7, SEC Network