Mets expect J.D. Martinez debut Friday vs. Cardinals
Manager Carlos Mendoza: Martinez would enter lineup as DH after Syracuse stint
J.D. Martinez is trending toward making his New York Mets debut later this week.
The 36-year old is expected to make his Mets debut Friday. Martinez would be inserted into the batting order as the designated hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field if all goes well in what is anticipated to be his final game of an abbreviated spring training-rehab assignment stint with Triple-A affiliate Syracuse on Wednesday, according to manager Carlos Mendoza.
Through four games with the Syracuse Mets, Martinez is .267/.353/.686, recording four hits (no home runs), two RBI in 15 at-bats. Lower back discomfort and body soreness has limited Martinez, who signed a one-year, $12 million contract back in March, in April up to this point.
After a pair of wins against the Los Angeles Dodgers to start the California road trip, the Mets have dropped three consecutive games to LA and the San Francisco Giants. Another loss in San Francisco would be the Mets’ fourth straight, one short of their season-high five consecutive which started the season, which would drop them back to .500 (12-12).
New York’s run production has dipped in those three losses – 10-0 loss vs. Dodgers, 5-2 loss vs. Giants, 5-1 loss vs. Giants – following a season-best six straight victories. Entering Wednesday, the Mets were 12th in Major League Baseball with 4.57 runs per game, and tied for ninth overall with 23 total home runs with the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians.
Pete Alonso currently leads the Mets in home runs with seven. Starling Marte is second with four. DJ Stewart, who Martinez would primarily replace in the lineup and likely be an upgrade based on his history, is third with three. New York could use Martinez’s power (33 HR in 2023 with the Dodgers).
Mets players are excited about the prospect of adding Martinez, namely Francisco Lindor. Lindor’s struggles to start the regular season have been well documented.
Lindor (.174/.267/.272) through 23 games is struggling the most of any player currently on the Mets roster, which includes a slow start by Brandon Nimmo (.193/.356/.325). Factor in 22-year old catcher Francisco Alvarez recently being placed on the 10-day injured list, Mendoza will need Martinez’s production in the worst way until New York’s lineup starts to fully click.
