Former Mets DH J.D. Martinez predicted to sign with NL Central Team

With J.D. Martinez still on the open market, the former DH for the Mets is predicted to sign with this NL Central team.

Aug 27, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets have largely tried to retain the key free agents that played major factors in the team's playoff run last season.

Those key pieces the Mets were able to retain were starting pitcher Sean Manaea, designated hitter/outfielder Jesse Winker, reliever Ryne Stanek, and, of course, homegrown talent Pete Alonso. There are, however, two remaining free agents still on the open market that the Mets don't anticipate bringing back.

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One of them is veteran DH J.D. Martinez, who New York signed last offseason on a one-year deal just weeks before the start of the regular season. With the 37-year-old still on the open market and the Mets slated to begin their first spring training games this week, could this NL Central team be a realistic fit for the Amazins' former starting DH?

In a February 18 article for Bleacher Report, Zachary D. Rymer predicted that the Cincinnati Reds would sign Martinez, with the hopes that he could be the veteran power bat their lineup needs to get back into the postseason.

"Yes, he's older. And yes, he endured a rough finish to 2024. Yet he remained capable of putting a jolt into the ball, ranking in the 94th percentile for his barrel rate," Rymer wrote.

"The Reds are better positioned than most teams to harness Martinez's remaining power, and that has everything to do with Great American Ball Park. It is one of the great power paradises in MLB."

Martinez had an underwhelming season on offense last season in his lone year playing in Flushing, Queens despite slugging 33 home runs the year prior with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Martinez slashed just .235/.320/.406 with 16 home runs and 69 RBI in 120 regular season games.

J.D. MARTINEZ HITS A TWO-RUN WALK-OFF HOMER!

METS WIN! pic.twitter.com/uq2EN7dkm1

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 14, 2024

After enduring a brutal stretch across August and September with a combined batting average of .225, the veteran saw his playing time diminish as the Mets' starting DH. When the aforementioned Winker was traded to the Mets from the Washington Nationals on July 28, he quickly solidified himself as the team's primary DH throughout the last several weeks of the regular season and during the Mets' playoff run.

However, Great American Ball Park is known as a very hitter-friendly ballpark, being one of the easiest stadiums to hit home runs in. Martinez, who has 331 career home runs to his name, may end up being the right bat and veteran presence Cincinnati needs in their lineup that already has the potential of being dangerous.