Alonso, Mets avoid arbitration with $14.5M, 1-year deal

NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso has agreed on a $14.5 million contract with the New York Mets for next season to avoid salary arbitration. The slugging first baseman nearly doubled his $7.4 million salary from 2022, when he tied for the major league lead with 131 RBIs and finished eighth in NL MVP balloting. He batted .271 with 40 home runs and an .869 OPS in 160 games. The two-time All-Star and 2019 NL Rookie of the Year can become a free agent following the 2024 season. Five of the six other Mets who began the day eligible for arbitration agreed to one-year deals: catcher Tomás Nido, reliever Drew Smith, infielder Luis Guillorme and right-handers Jeff Brigham and Elieser Hernández. The only one who did not was All-Star second baseman Jeff McNeil.