Which DH would be a better match for the Mets?
J.D. Martinez and Justin Turner have been mentioned by the New York Mets in recent speculations as potential DH options. Who would fit the Mets better? Although you undoubtedly already have an opinion on this, sometimes it helps to put it in writing, much like a grocery list or sentiments.
Perhaps by discussing it, we can finally find a common ground among Mets supporters. Is it any surprise that some people feel that Jacob deGrom’s Mets career was superior to Tom Seaver’s? You can’t just agree with some folks.
The pros of signing Justin Turner
When Ronny Mauricio sustained an injury in the Winter League, the necessity to sign Turner was eliminated. Turner made more sense as a DH and occasionally third baseman before this. Right now, in terms of quality and what he can provide to the Mets, he’s among the top free agents available.
Turner had a fantastic season with the Boston Red Sox, which just ended. He amassed 23 home runs and 96 RBI while slashing.276/.346/.455.
Turner gives the Mets a guy with a wealth of playoff experience and a degree of declining but still present versatility. Even if he may not be as good defensively as he once was, he can at least shield them at third base in the event that Brett Baty is hurt or rendered incapable of playing.
Cons of Justin Turner signing
With his age of 39, Turner could perhaps have a catastrophic tumble in the upcoming season. Despite striking out 110 times in the previous season, he did record a career-high 96 RBI. It’s a reasonable compromise.
In some way, Turner finished the previous year with more plate appearances than ever. We can attribute this to him locking up a lot of his appearances in the role of the DH. You run the risk of having a butcher in the field for a few innings every night if you select him as your backup third baseman.
Turner is a brief, but costly, commitment. Although he showed signs of wellness the previous year, would running him out more defensively force his sage to catch up?
The pros of J.D. Martinez’s signing
Martinez is the best pure DH currently on the market. He was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers in favor of Shohei Ohtani, who is arguably the only suitable replacement they could have found. Martinez might be the difference maker in this lineup despite his advanced age; he is still a few birthdays ahead of Turner and shows no signs of slowing down.
Martinez had an incredible 2023 season for the Dodgers at the age of 35. He hit 33 home runs and drove in 103 runs in just 113 games. To ensure that everyone knows he wasn’t just playing with fire, he included a.271/.321/.572 slash line.
Martinez is more of the number-five hitter the Mets need to add than Turner is in terms of offensive production. There is no denying his strength.
Cons of J.D. Martinez’s signing
Martinez is no longer a player we would see in any defensive situation outside of an extremely unusual emergency. If the Mets smell smoke, they can go to Turner for assistance at third base. Martinez shouldn’t be exposed until you can truly feel your flesh melting.
In reality, concerns about his health are more serious. Due to back problems, he slowed down in 2022 but still managed to log just about 600 plate appearances. He missed a little more time in the previous season, finishing with 479 plate appearances.
The Mets might have to sign him to a contract that extends beyond a single season due to his age. Martinez deserved to be signed to a minimum of two-year contract. When he signs a new contract, the $10 million the Dodgers gave him last year will seem like a steal. Is it really worth it for the Mets to spend a significant sum of money and over a year on a player who can just hit?
The decision
Like you, I was already aware that Turner was my top option. You can have him for a year. Martinez ought to be aiming for a minimum of two seasons following the harm he has caused. The Mets ought to target specific kinds of players for longer than just one season. Not always is the DH slot one of them.
The crux of Martinez’s appeal is the potential need for power on a squad. Hitting home runs came a little easier than anticipated, even though they didn’t feel like they had a particularly strong lineup. Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso both finished over 30. Francisco Alvarez is anticipated to arrive in 2024.
By signing one of these two seasoned players, the Mets cannot go wrong. Everybody is a skilled batter in their own unique manner.
Turner will always be a better fit for the Mets given the structure of the roster. Furthermore, Citi Field isn’t exactly the most hitter-friendly venue, especially considering how much Martinez’s power adds to his appeal. When it comes to accumulating doubles and pushing for a batting average of.300, Turner is a more capable player. Even though he is the older one, last year he was by far the healthier one.
If Martinez ends up with the Mets, there won’t be any yelling or kicking to do. This is the year to either embrace the good things in life or moan about everything. One of those future seasons where a 162-game schedule seemed to be 662, you know?