Inside The Mets

Mets Free Agent J.D. Martinez Called a Fit For NL Foe

After one lone season for the Mets in 2024, free-agent slugger J.D. Martinez is viewed as a fit for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Logan VanDine

Sep 9, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez (28) reacts after his one run single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Sep 9, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez (28) reacts after his one run single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
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After a one-year stint with the New York Mets last season as their designated hitter, this NL West team is viewed as a fit for J.D. Martinez.

ESPN's David Schoenfield named the Arizona Diamondbacks as a potential fit for Martinez after Joc Pederson, their starting DH last season, signed with the Texas Rangers back in December on a two-year deal.

"Martinez is entering his age-37 season after hitting .235/.320/.406 with the Mets -- underwhelming numbers for a DH, but his Statcast metrics suggest he was unlucky with expected numbers of .256 (average) and .472 (slugging percentage)," Schoenfield wrote.

The Amazins' signed Martinez just weeks before the start of the regular season last year; he wouldn't make his Mets debut until April 26 due to lower back tightness and a lack of spring training action. Despite his status as one of the league's most prestigious power hitters, his numbers in 2024 were disappointing overall.

In 120 regular season games, the 37-year-old slashed just .235/.320/.406 with a .726 OPS, 16 home runs, and 69 RBI. Martinez was also plagued by a poor offensive stretch in September, batting just .108 with no home runs and four RBI during that month.

His offensive woes that month resulted in a decrease in playing time, with midseason acquisition Jesse Winker eventually taking over as the Mets' primary DH for the rest of the regular season and their ensuing playoff run.

With New York seeming to have no desire to bring Martinez back for the 2025 season, the Diamondbacks look like a great fit for his services, especially after losing both Pederson and star first baseman Christian Walker in free agency. The veteran slugger also has experience playing in Arizona before, as he was traded there from the Detroit Tigers back in 2017; in just 62 games with the Diamondbacks, Martinez slashed an incredible .302/.366/.741 with 29 home runs, four of which came in one game on September 4, 2017.

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Logan VanDine
LOGAN VANDINE

Logan is a graduate of Rider University where he majored in Sports Media and minored in Sports Studies. During his time at Rider, Logan worked for Rider's radio station, 107.7 The Bronc as a sports host, producer and broadcaster, and for the school's paper: The Rider News. He began his time with The Rider News as a section writer for sports and was a copy editor for two years followed by being one of the sports editors during his senior year. Logan also placed third in the New Jersey Press Foundation Awards for sports feature writing. Aside from his work on Yankees and Mets On SI, he is also a writer for FanSided covering the New York Giants and Mets and also covers the Giants for Total Apex Sports.

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