The Mets have agreed to one-year deals six players including first baseman Pete Alonso to avoid arbitration this season.
The Mets and Alonso agreed to a $14.5 million deal, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. This contract would be the largest for a first baseman in arbitration.
This resolves Alonso’s salary for 2023, but the two-time All-Star will be a free agent at the end of the season.
In 2022, Alonso hit .271 with a team-leading 40 home runs and 131 RBI. In his four-year Mets career, the 28-year-old has hit 146 home runs and 380 RBI. In that time, he picked up the Rookie of the Year award and was in the top-10 of MVP voting in both 2019 and 2022.
The Mets also avoided arbitration with reliever Drew Smith. Both sides have agreed to $1.3 million for the upcoming season, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports.
In 44 appearances this past year, Smith had a 3-3 record with a 3.33 ERA.
The Mets announced they also agreed to terms with RHP Jeff Brigham, RHP Elieser Hernandez, Luis Guillorme and Tomas Nido.