A $12 million, one-year contract was agreed on Saturday between J.D. Martinez and the New York Mets.
A $2.5 million signing bonus, $2 million this year, and $7.5 million in deferred money, payable in $1.5 million increments on January 15 of each year from 2034 to 2038, are awarded to the 36-year-old designated hitter.
“Fortunately enough, I found a place here with New York and one of those last-second-type things and it worked out,” Martinez told reporters in Port St. Lucie, Florida. “I’m excited to be here. I know the guys are super excited to have me, and I’m super excited to just be in the clubhouse with them and I’m ready for the journey ahead of us.”
In just 113 games last season, Martinez hit .271 with 33 home runs and 103 RBIs for the Los Angeles Dodgers, showing good value for the $10 million, one-year contract he signed prior to the season. His availability was hampered by back and groin issues, but he added a National League All-Star selection to his five AL All-Star selections with Detroit and Boston.
He provides the Mets with an additional power hitter to complement Pete Alonso in the middle of the lineup. Following this season, both can become free agents.
Martinez claimed that Alonso was a fervent supporter of include him.
Martinez stated he will likely require a minimum of fifteen days to prepare for the season, having waited the entire spring to secure employment. He won’t, therefore, break camp with the Mets in time for Thursday’s Opening Day game against Milwaukee.
“It kind of sucks. Obviously, I want to break with the team. I want to be there. I want to be there for Opening Day. That’s a special thing to be a part of,” Martinez said. “But I’ve got to get my body ready. I’ve got to have my spring training now and I’ve got to get ready for the season. The last thing I want to do is kind of just rush through it and get hurt. So I want to make sure I take it slow and build my body up to get back out there.”
The Mets placed right-hander Phil Bickford on the disabled list in order to make room on the roster for Martinez.
The Mets planned to give rookies Mark Vientos and Brett Baty lots of at-bats this season instead of bringing in a veteran at third base or double play, according to David Stearns, the team’s new president of baseball operations. However, Vientos, who might still share playing time at third with Baty and get opportunities against left-handed pitching in particular, is no longer the primary DH and is replaced by Martinez.
As a result of their shared training facility, Martinez said that he and Vientos have a “way back” relationship. The seasoned slugger said he told Vientos not to give up on the seeming loss of playing time since talented guys can always find major league opportunities, whether they are with the Mets or somewhere else.
“I understand his frustration,” Martinez said.
Martinez has only occasionally filled the corner outfield positions during the previous two seasons, but he has demonstrated that he is a capable DH. The Dodgers never had four players with 100 RBIs in a season until last year, when Martinez joined Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Max Muncy.
Martinez hit 33 home runs, which was the most since 2019, and his.893 OPS was also the most since that year.
Martinez started his career with the Houston Astros, but after being released by the Astros and acquired by the Tigers in 2014, he became very successful. Following his 2017 career-high 45 home runs for Detroit and Arizona, he joined the Red Sox and went on to hit 43 home runs in 2018, the year that Boston won its most recent World Series.
Martinez was among the best unrestricted free agents available. In the last days of spring training, another Scott Boras client, left-hander Jordan Montgomery, is still hunting for a new team.
“Offseason was kind of a rollercoaster,” Martinez said. “There’s a lot of really good players out there that are in the same situation.”