Pete Alonso agrees $14.5 million contract with New York Mets to avoid arbitration

Pete Alonso on Friday agreed to a $14.5 million contract with the New York Mets for next season to avoid a salary arbitration.

The hitting first baseman has nearly doubled his $7.4 million salary since 2022, when he took the major league lead with 131 RBIs and finished eighth in the NL MVP pick. He hit .271 with 40 homers and .869 OPS in 160 games.

The deal secured the 28-year-old the largest-ever contract for a first baseman in arbitration.

Pete Alonso agreed to a $14.5 million contract with the Mets on Friday to avoid a salary arbitration

New York’s batting first baseman has nearly doubled his $7.4 million salary as of 2022

The two-time All-Star and 2019 NL Rookie of the Year still has a year of arbitration before he can become a free agent after the 2024 season, and he’ll no doubt have a lot of applicants when that blockbuster payday time comes around .

Alonso had a sensational season last year, but his efforts were somewhat overshadowed by Aaron Judge of the Yankees across town, who broke the AL record for regular-season home runs.

“I’m still not sure,” Mets manager Buck Showalter told reporters in early January, “that people really appreciate this young man’s fine year [Alonso] would have.’

Mets manager Buck Showalter claimed people don’t realize how good a year Alonso has been

The Mets had a big offseason, bringing in Justin Verlander, Brandon Nimmo, Kodai Senga and José Quintana as Steve Cohen seeks more than one wild card exit this season.

However, a deal for Carlos Correa fell through after the Mets raised concerns about his surgically repaired leg after agreeing a $315 million contract, and he ended up rejoining the Twins.

Six other Mets players are eligible for arbitration: All-Star second baseman Jeff McNeil, catcher Tomas Nido, reliever Drew Smith, infielder Luis Guillorme, and right-handers Jeff Brigham and Elieser Hernandez.

Friday was the deadline for eligible players to trade proposed salaries with their teams.

New York had a great offseason but ultimately missed out on a deal with Carlos Correa