NEW YORK — If there were any tears, Wilmer Flores could have wiped them away with $100 bills.
Though the infielder said battling the Mets via salary arbitration was “one of the hardest things” he’s done, he got over it quickly.
“Yeah, it was easy,” he said.
Because he won?
“Yeah,” he said, smiling.
An independent arbitrator recently awarded Flores the $2.2 million he wanted for the 2017 season.
The Mets had offered him $1.8 million. He made $526,014 last season.
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The sides weren’t able to come to an agreement and settled on going to an arbitrator.
“It was tough,” Flores said. “But we felt confident about it and we won it.”
“It’s something that my team (of advisors) and I discussed and we had a good feeling about it and we went for it and we got it.”
Flores can also think of the money to soothe his mind if he doesn’t get regular playing time.
He said that though he’s been working out at the team’s training complex in Port St. Luice, Fla., which is also their spring training site, he hasn’t been told his role for 2017.
“I guess it’s going to be like last year. Just wait for the opportunity and play,” he said.
Last season, Flores hit .267 with 16 homers and 49 RBI in 103 games. He posted an .788 OPS and played the majority of his games (51) at third base.
He’s confident he can excel in a do-everything job again.
“Last year was one of the hardest things I’ve had to work through in the utility role,” he said. “But somehow I made it through. I made the adjustment I had to make. This year, I’ll do the same thing. If I’m out there everyday, I’ll take it. If I’m not, I’ll just make the adjustment.”
Flores added that the season-ending hand surgery he had hasn’t affected his offseason workouts. He’s been hitting since November. Flores broke hit right hand’s hamate bone Sept. 10.
“I feel good,” he said. “No soreness. The hand healed and I had a completely normal offseason,” Flores said.
Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ.
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