The Mets Went Out of Their Way to Reward Pete Alonso With a Sizable Salary Increase and We're Shocked
By Michael Luciano
The New York Mets have been surprisingly frugal over the last few decades, but even they couldn't stomach not giving superstar first baseman Pete Alonso a ridiculous new contract after the rookie year he had.
Alonso received a 17.5 percent raise this season, and he will make $652,521 for the 2020 season. Alonso said he was "shocked and thrilled" that he was rewarded in this fashion so unexpectedly.
The Mets agreed to a $652,521 salary for Pete Alonso this season, per source. That's a 17.5 percent raise over last season, which generally doesn't happen for pre-arb players. The Mets wanted to reward him.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 11, 2020
Alonso said he was "shocked and thrilled."
Alonso certainly deserves more than that number after he broke the record for home runs in a season by a rookie with 53 last season, but with the Wilpon family still signing the checks, Alonso and every other player on that roster will gladly take what they can get.
When his time comes, Alonso is expected to get a ming-boggling contract from the Mets, as his combination of play on the field and personality off of it is going to keep winning games for the Mets and putting butts in seats at Citi Field.
When Pete Alonso retires in 50 years, SNY should have a blank check waiting pic.twitter.com/4Cxzq0JOsW
— Tim Reilly (@LifeOfTimReilly) March 4, 2020
If Alonso keeps playing anywhere close to the level he was playing at in the last few months of the 2020 season, the next contract that he gets from the Mets is probably going to be a little bit more than the $650,000 range. Just a hunch.