Getty The San Francisco Giants saw free-agent slugger J.D. Martinez reject their offer for the chance to play with the New York Mets.
The San Francisco Giants emerged as one of MLB’s most aggressive teams this offseason, landing deals with the likes of Blake Snell, Jorge Soler, Matt Chapman and more.
But J.D. Martinez, one player they were unable to sign, ultimately joined the New York Mets instead. Martinez revealed why he opted for a one-year, $12 million deal with New York instead of a roughly $15 million offer from the Giants in recent comments as reported by the New York Post’s Jon Heyman.
“It’s not the best hitter-friendly park for me,” Martinez said. “If I go there and hit .260 with 20 (home runs), people are going to say I’m old and washed up.”
How Would the San Francisco Giants’ Ballpark Impact J.D. Martinez as a Hitter?
Though Martinez remained unsigned until just a week before Opening Day, he was one of the most accomplished hitters on the free-agent market. He has seen six All-Star appearances, earned three Silver Slugger awards and won a World Series championship with the Boston Red Sox in 2018.
In 13 big-league seasons, he’s slashed .287/.350/.524. Last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he slugged 33 homers with a .271 average and a .572 SLG percentage. Those figures indicate why he might fear that a drop off to a .260 average with 20 homers would give fans and front offices pause about whether he can continue his career into 2025 and beyond.
Baseball Savant gives the Giants’ Oracle Park a 97 “park factor,” ranking it as the 26th most difficult ballpark to hit a ball out of. Citi Field, the home of the Mets, is actually ranked even more difficult at 29. But Martinez may have used his own personal, albeit limited, experiences at each park to make his determination.
“In six games at Oracle Park last season, Martinez hit .280/.240/.458 with just one home run and three RBI,” Erin Walsh reported for Bleacher Report. “In 21 career games in San Francisco, he has launched just three home runs. Martinez’s numbers overall were better in three games at New York’s Citi Field last season, as he hit .308/.357/.539. He also hit one home run, though three games is a small sample size to determine his potential across an entire season.”
J.D. Martinez Was Quick to Point Out He Has No Issue With the Giants
In February, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported that the Giants pivoted to Soler after Martinez declined their offer. That rejection sparked some speculation that Martinez had an issue with San Francisco as a destination in general, which was ultimately refuted by NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic.
Further explaining his decision to go with the Mets, Martinez underscored that he was focused on his ballpark potential, particularly as he sees himself as an opposite-field slugger.
“I wanted to give myself the best opportunity,” Martinez said of his choice to join the Mets, per OutKick. “It’s nothing against the Giants Organization at all. I just wanted to give myself the best opportunity to continue my career in baseball and keep playing. San Fran is a tough ballpark to hit in, especially when you go the other way there. Citi Field is not like that. Most fields aren’t.”