Getty The New York Mets continue to have discussions with free agent slugger J.D. Martinez, who could be the power bat the team needs to support Pete Alonso.
The New York Mets are having discussions with free agent J.D. Martinez, the New York Post’s Mike Puma reported February 6. The six-time All-Star would provide a major boost to a Mets lineup that lacks a proven slugger at their designated hitter spot.
“There’s been dialogue between J.D. Martinez’s camp and the Mets as spring training approaches. Proven offensive pieces are still available in a buyer’s market. If price is right, just maybe the Mets will bite,” Puma wrote on X.
Martinez is 36 years old but is slowing little signs of slowing down with his bat as he’s been an All-Star in each of the past five seasons, not including the shortened 2020 season that did not have an All-Star Game. He played on a one-year, $10 million deal for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season and hit .271 with 33 home runs, 103 RBI and a .893 OPS. Among all 2023 Mets, only Pete Alonso (118) collected more RBI last season than Martinez.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter recently predicted that the Mets will end up signing Martinez, a three-time Silver Slugger award winner. Martinez’s best season came in 2018 with the Boston Red Sox, when he hit .330 with 43 home runs, 130 RBI and a .402 on-base percentage.
MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post wrote a column on January 31 that urged the Mets to sign a slugger like Martinez or fellow free agent Jorge Soler to support Pete Alonso in their lineup as the first baseman enters the last year of his current contract.
“The Mets have done right by holding on to their homegrown slugger, but the lack of a proven slugger to bat behind Alonso is a real weakness (and perhaps even a reason for Alonso to bolt as a free agent after the year),” Heyman wrote Jan. 31. “Lo and behold, two bona fide middle-of-the-order hitters remain unemployed. And don’t view J.D. Martinez and Jorge Soler as just two outstanding hitters but as two potential lineup protectors — and maybe even a couple of potential bargains.”
Current Mets DH Options Don’t Compare to Martinez
Mark Vientos and D.J. Stewart are currently expected to be the top options at designated hitter for the Mets. Vientos, 24, hit just .211 with nine homers in 65 games last season while Stewart hit .244 with 11 homers in 58 games. Martinez would not only provide an offensive upgrade, but his signing would allow Vientos to play more third base as a backup depth option behind Brett Baty, the Mets top prospect who struggled in his rookie season but heads into 2024 as their 3B starter.
Martinez is repped by Scott Boras, who is also the agent to remaining free agent stars Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Matt Chapman and Jordan Montgomery.
Mets Also Linked to Ex-Yankee Fan Favorite
Free agent infielder Gio Urshela has drawn interest from the Mets as well as the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported February 6. Urshela played for the Yankees from 2019 to 2021 before he was traded to the Minnesota Twins.
Urshela, 32, has his 2023 season end prematurely due to a fractured left pelvis. Before the injury, he hit .299/.329/.374 with two home runs in 62 games. He is a versatile defender who can play all four infield positions but has predominantly been a third baseman.