The New York Mets and first baseman Pete Alonso reportedly agreed to a one-year, $20.5 million contract in order to avoid arbitration this offseason, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on Thursday night.
The move means Alonso will be set to hit free agency after the 2024 season, where he will likely be one of the league’s biggest available names of offseason.
Fans wondered if Alonso would move teams this offseason since a trade was possible last year before the Aug. 1 deadline. Mets owner Steve Cohen spoke highly of Alonso in August in terms of wanting to keep the slugger on the roster. It looks like he will get Alonso for at least one more season, if not longer.
First baseman Pete Alonso and the New York Mets are in agreement on a one-year, $20.5 million contract to avoid arbitration, a source familiar with the deal tells ESPN. Alonso will hit free agency following the 2024 season.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 12, 2024
The two parties reached an agreement with very little time to spare as the deadline to reach an agreement before arbitration hit at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday night.
Alonso has played for the Mets in all five of his MLB seasons. He’s coming off two back-to-back All-Star seasons in New York. In 2023, he averaged .217/.318/.504.
