NEW YORK _ The Mets and Noah Syndergaard agreed to a one-year, $9.7 million contract. The rest of the Mets' arbitration-eligible players were able to avoid hearings by agreeing to deals on Friday.
Syndergaard earned $6 million last year. He posted a career-worst 4.28 ERA but threw a career-high 197 2/3 innings. The fireballing right-hander also struck out 202 batters, his highest total since 2016.
The Mets agreed to terms with the rest of their arbitration-eligible players. Rotation mates Steven Matz ($5 million) and Marcus Stroman ($12 million), outfielders Brandon Nimmo, ($2.175 million) Jake Marisnick ($3.312 million), and Michael Conforto ($8) and relievers Edwin Diaz ($5.1 million), Seth Lugo ($2 million) and Robert Gsellman ($1.225 million) all signed one-year deals.
As the Mets were languishing in fourth place for much of 2019, Syndergaard was frequently discussed in trades, but the Mets ultimately hung on to him for a pennant drive. He has one more round of arbitration eligibility in 2021 before entering free agency.
The Mets hope their 27-year-old mainstay can maintain his good health from 2019 while bouncing back to his previous heights _ he pitched to a 2.93 ERA across his first four seasons in Queens. Syndergaard figures to slot behind staff ace Jacob deGrom as their No. 2 starter.
