J.D. Martinez breaks his 0-fer with a leadoff double!
Free Agent Profile: J.D. Martinez hits the open market looking for another opportunity late in his career
Photo credit: © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Nov 15, 2024, 09:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 15, 2024, 05:55 EST
After spending his 2023 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, J.D. Martinez is once again looking for an opportunity to prove himself on the big league stage. A designated hitter this late in his career, he had to start from the bottom in the New York Mets system after signing late into Spring Training, a risk that both he and the Mets were taking after holding out for as long as he did.
How did Martinez fare this past season and what’s in store for him this time around?
J.D. Martinez’s 2024 season
As mentioned, Martinez began his 2024 season in the minor league system with the New York Mets after signing late into Spring Training, joining the Major League squad in late April. Martinez started off strong for the Mets, collecting 27 hits through May to the tune of a .278 average and followed that with a strong June showing, where he owned a .836 OPS and a .353 BABIP through 55 games.
However, the wheels started to fall off in the dog days of Summer, as Martinez slowly started to lose his average and was sporting a .253/.334/.443 slash by the end of August. In September, things got even worse for the veteran, who mustered just six hits through 55 at-bats with zero home runs and four RBIs, authoring a .146 SLG and a .368 OPS that saw Martinez lose favour in the starting lineup and appear on the bench in more games down the line. The right-handed batter also suited up in eight postseason games as the Mets advanced to the NLCS, collecting four hits and three RBIs across 18 at-bats, but played sparingly in the NLCS against the eventual World Series winners, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Martinez would finish the season with a .235/.320/.406 slash line, which shows some similarities to his 2023 numbers (.271/.321/.405) albeit except for his average, which was 36 points lower. He collected 16 home runs and had 69 RBIs in his lone campaign with the Mets but that was a far cry from what fans have seen from the slugger, who smashed 33 home runs the season before.
While the 2024 campaign wasn’t his strongest on record, that doesn’t mean Martinez wasn’t as important as other players on the Mets roster in terms of his overall contribution. He’s helped to set the tone of the Mets’ clubhouse and went far beyond having hitting conversations with younger players, a role one would expect from a veteran player.
If there is any upside, the designated hitter showed a strong performance against left-handed pitching with a .836 OPS. He also produced when runners were in scoring position as his OPS shot up to .955 according to Tim Britton and Will Sammon of The Athletic.
J.D. Martinez’s Contract
Martinez is in a tough spot and a tight market as a veteran designated hitter with so many power bats available this winter.
Because of his clear identity and a fixed role, he will be in the market for a short-term deal. This isn’t anything new to hitters who identify more as ‘bat-only’ types with no clear role in the field and Martinez’s market will be similar to hitters like Andrew McCutchen, Joc Pederson, and Justin Turner.
A one-year deal likely awaits Martinez again this winter.
J.D. Martinez homers to break up the Braves combined no-hit bid with 2 outs in the 9th!
Does J.D. Martinez fit in with the Blue Jays?
By now, Martinez’s role is a pure designated hitter and is relatively inflexible in his role.
Given his lack of versatility as a player along with his age, many teams—including the Blue Jays—will be more hesitant to give out generous contracts. Besides, the slugger’s profile doesn’t exactly fit Toronto’s needs since the team will be keen on rotating the designated hitter spot among its existing players barring a different free-agent addition.
For argument’s sake, Toronto could use a bat that can deliver against left-handed pitching and when there are runners in scoring position, as the team posted a .726 OPS last season in that situation. If Martinez can find his 2023 All-Star form, that is a completely different story and signing the veteran bat will be worth the one-year deal.
However, fans remember how Turner’s time in Toronto panned out in similar fashion (hot to start and trailed off before the deadline) and going down the same route might not be the best option for the Blue Jays this winter. If the Jays sign Martinez, it is likely a pivot move after missing out on other free agents.