The Mets have acquired Martinez as their designated hitter for a one-year contract.
Before the first game of the season, Martinez will provide the Mets’ lineup with a reliable source of power, supporting big hitter Pete Alonso. He will do so at a significant price cut.
Reworded: Jorge Castillo, a writer for ESPN’s staff.
The Mets and Martinez have come to an agreement, according to the initial report by the New York Post.
In 2023, Martinez had a strong comeback season as an All-Star player for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He signed a one-year contract worth $10 million and exceeded expectations by hitting 33 home runs and 103 RBIs with an .893 OPS in 113 games. Martinez also had the opportunity to work with Robert Van Scoyoc, his longtime hitting coach.
According to a source, Martinez is set to earn a total of .5 million from New York for the current season. Additionally, he will also receive .5 million annually from 2034 to 2038. The Mets, who have been linked to Martinez for a while, were holding out for a lower price to avoid incurring a high luxury tax penalty this year. With the highest projected payroll for the second year in a row, New York remains a top spender in the major leagues.
Despite Martinez’s success with the Dodgers in the previous season, the team’s intention was to only sign him for one year. They had been planning to go after Shohei Ohtani in the free agency to serve as their designated hitter. And when they successfully signed Ohtani in December, it became clear that Martinez, who was the top DH option in the free agent market aside from Ohtani, would most likely sign with another team in 2024.
An increasing number of teams have chosen to rotate their everyday players through the designated hitter position in order to lighten their workload, instead of relying heavily on one player for those plate appearances. However, Martinez has demonstrated his ability to be a strong enough hitter to handle the role on his own. In the year 2022, he did not make any appearances in the outfield and only played there in three games last season.
A reliable source has confirmed that the New York Mets and designated hitter J.D. Martinez have reached a mutual agreement on a one-year contract worth million. The completion of the contract is subject to a physical examination.
Martinez, who is currently 36 years old, has maintained a batting average of .287 throughout his 13-year career with various baseball teams such as the Dodgers, Red Sox, Diamondbacks, Tigers, and Astros.
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