New York Mets superstar Pete Alonso made MLB history on Friday. The slugger signed a one-year $14.5 million deal with the club, which is the biggest arbitration contract for a first baseman ever, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.
This is Alonso’s second year of arbitration before hitting free agency in 2024. And given what he’s done for NY in recent years, it’s no surprise they’ve handed him such a healthy payday. In 2022, the two-time All-Star led the charge for the 101-win Mets, hitting .271 while slugging 40 homers and driving in a league-best 131 RBI. While the team did heavily disappoint in the playoffs with an early exit in the Wild Card Series, Alonso certainly did his part throughout the campaign.
The 28-year-old will undoubtedly be a huge piece of the Mets lineup again in 2023, with the ballclub already shaping up to be a serious contender in the National League. Owner Steve Cohen went out and signed Justin Verlander, Jose Quintana, David Robertson, and Kodai Senga while re-signing Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, and Adam Ottavino.
It’s frankly crazy to think Pete Alonso has yet to be rewarded with a long-term extension, but that day will be coming soon enough. He’s been one of the best hitters in the game since coming up to the Majors, going deep 146 times in four seasons.
Once that does happen, it would be no surprise to see Alonso fetch in the ballpark of $300 million across 9-10 years because let’s be honest, $14.5 million is a bargain for a player of Alonso’s caliber in today’s market.
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