Ranking the AL East by first basemen after Alonso and Contreras join the division

The MLB offseason is slowly plodding along as a handful of major free agents find new homes. The AL East has been front and center with the majority of the activity taking place among those five teams this winter.

The Toronto Blue Jays should be feeling good about the additions they have made to a roster that almost won a World Series. However, several division rivals have upgraded at first base this offseason. The calendar may be flipping towards 2026, but the offseason is far from finished. In the present moment, how do the Blue Jays stack up regarding the first base position in the division?

5. Ben Rice

The Yankees first base situation is currently manned by Ben Rice. Rice started 48 games at designated hitter, 46 games at first base and 26 games at catcher for the Yankees last season. The native of Massachusetts slashed .255/.337/.499 with 26 home runs, 65 RBIs and a OPS in 138 games.

The question is can he sustain that level of production again next season? The Yankees have run through a litany of options at first base in recent years and Rice being able to catch behind the plate demonstrates plenty of versatility.

Rice needs to continue improving his offensive game and make those changes in the bright spotlight of the Bronx. Plenty of upside, but let's see how it plays out over the course of the season.

4. Willson Contreras

The Red Sox addressed their first base position in an interesting manner. They traded with the St. Louis Cardinals to acquire Willson Contreras. Contreras played in 135 games this past season and hit .257/.344/.447 with 20 home runs and 80 RBIs along with a .791 OPS.

Contreras's addition means that Triston Casas can take more time in his rehab from a ruptured left patellar tendon that prematurely ended his 2025 season. Romy Gonzalez remains on hand as a depth option.

Contreras transitioned to first base in 2025 despite being the primary catcher in Chicago and St. Louis earlier in his career. The Red Sox were interested in Pete Alonso before he signed with the Orioles, but apparently weren't willing to offer the years and dollars it was going to take to sign Alonso.

3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Any Blue Jays fan could be accused of showing bias with this guy, but Vladdy is a special franchise player. The 26-year-old finally put his postseason demons to bed this past October and carried this team to lofty heights throughout the season. The amazing part is that he is still only 26 and still feels like he is just getting started.

He slashed .292/.381/.467 with 23 home runs and 84 RBIs this season. He made his fifth All-Star Game. This is exactly the kind of season Toronto has been dreaming about. While it may not compare to his eye-popping 48-home run season in 2021, this level of production is perfect for the team going forward.

2. Jonathan Aranda

The Tampa Bay Rays are in an intriguing spot with Jonathan Aranda currently penciled in for the majority of first base reps in 2026. The 27-year-old Aranda is one of the league's underrated superstars, but he broke out last year to the tune of a .316/.393/.489 across 106 games. He started 86 games at first base and 10 games at designated hitter last season.

He suffered a wrist injury in late July, but made it back for a three-game cameo at the end of the regular season against the Blue Jays. The 2025 All-Star smacked a home run in his first at-bat back from injury at Rogers Centre. Aranda seems like a talented young player that has the potential to torment the Blue Jays in the future. Yandy Diaz is another option with plenty of home run power as long as the Rays don't trade him this winter.

Here’s a reminder that Jonathan Aranda hit a no doubter in his first AB back from a broken wrist, then proceeded to hit a HR the next day to finish the season.

He was one of the best hitters in baseball in his first full MLB season and should develop into a special player.

1. Pete Alonso

The Baltimore Orioles made perhaps the biggest splash at the first base position with their monstrous signing of slugger Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract. The O's needed to import more thump into a lineup that lacked the big power threat. The O's finished a disappointing 75-87 and their production at first base was nothing to brag about.

Alonso boasts a 162-game average of 42 home runs. He's hit the fourth most home runs in MLB since 2021 and should continue to produce in a hitter friendly ballpark such as Camden Yards. Good luck to all the respective pitching staffs that need to face this guy 13 times next season!