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The Mets and Jeff McNeil have agreed on a contract extension per Jeff Passan of ESPN. The extension is for four-years, $50 million with a club option that could make it five-years, $63.5 million.

The extension talks were originally reported by MMO’s own Michael Mayer.

McNeil is now under team control through at least the 2026 season with an option for the 2027 season.

McNeil is coming off a stellar 2022 season for the Mets. He bounced back from a rough 2021 campaign to lead the offense and he finished last year in style by leading the majors in batting average. It was McNeil’s first career batting title.

He slashed .326/.382/.454/.836 in 2022 with nine homers and 62 RBI. He also hit 39 doubles, walked 40 times and struck out on just 61 occasions. McNeil finished the year with a 5.7 WAR and a OPS+ of 140. While the third baseman isn’t known for his power, he is known for his clutch hitting. He hit .336 with a .806 OPS with runners in scoring position in 2022.

McNeil is very much a throwback to the baseball player of old. He doesn’t mash and doesn’t live-or-die by the long ball, like so many hitters in the modern game. Instead, he hits for contact, produces gritty at-bats, can put the ball in play and he’s a tough out almost every time he steps up to the plate. Plus, he’s an excellent baserunner and he has demonstrated an ability to produce flashy, highlight-reel plays with the glove.

It is also important to look at the larger sample size when assessing McNeil’s importance to the Mets. Since 2018, there are only five players who have played at least 500 games and posted a batting average over .300 in that span: Freddie Freeman, Michael Brantley, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts and McNeil.

McNeil has developed into a key cog in this lineup and he’s very much the straw that stirs the drink for this offense. He can make things happen at the plate and he’s been long overdue a payday by the Mets. A two-time All-Star with a batting title and a silver slugger on his resume, the 30-year-old is deserving of a raise.

A raise McNeil now has and, more importantly, he’s a member of the New York Mets for a long time. With Pete Alonso also needing a long-term extension, it was important for the front office to start locking down their key pieces and extending McNeil is certainly a good start.