Wilmer Flores has won his salary arbitration case against the Mets. Flores will receive $2.2 million in 2017, $400,000 more than the $1.8 million that the Mets had proposed.
The hearing took place yesterday, with arbitrators Mark Irvings, Sylvia Skratek, and Robert Herzog issuing their decision today.
The team had settled before arbitration with nine out of their ten eligible players. Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Jeurys Familia, Addison Reed, Lucas Duda, Zack Wheeler, Josh Edgin, Travis d’Arnaud, and Rene Rivera all settled, with Flores the lone holdout. He became the first Mets player to go to an arbitration hearing since Oliver Perez in 2008. Perez also won his case.
After spending most of 2015 as the team’s starting shortstop, Flores moved into more of a utility role in 2016. He spent time at all four infield positions while establishing himself as a verified lefty-killer, hitting .340/.383/.710 against them in 107 plate appearances. With the health of several infielders a question mark for 2017, Flores figures to play an important role going forward.