Inside The Mets

AL East Team Seen as 'Best Landing Spot' For Former Mets Slugger

Could J.D. Martinez join this AL East team in free agency after one year with the New York Mets?
Grant Young|
May 13, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter JD Martinez (28) reacts to hitting an RBI double against the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
May 13, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter JD Martinez (28) reacts to hitting an RBI double against the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

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New York MetsLos Angeles DodgersTampa Bay Rays

Several staples in the middle of the New York Mets' 2024 lineup became unrestricted free agents during this MLB offseason.

Of course, one of these is Pete Alonso. However, Alonso isn't going anywhere, as it was announced last week that he had re-signed with New York on a two-year, $54 million deal that includes an opt-out after the first season.

The other slugger is J.D. Martinez, who signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Mets before the 2024 season after spending the 2023 campaign with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In 120 games for the Mets in the 2024 regular season, Martinez hit .235 with a .726 OPS, 16 home runs, and 69 RBIs. He then followed that up with a .222 average and .639 OPS during the postseason.

While the 37-year-old Martinez might not be the perennial MVP contender that he was a few years ago, there's no doubt he'd provide value to any MLB team. And in a February 10 article, Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly conveyed why he believes the Tampa Bay Rays are the "best landing spot" for Martinez in free agency.

"J.D. Martinez is in the twilight of his career and is a fit for limited teams right now because he's almost exclusively a DH, but the six-time All-Star still has a place in the league. And Jon Heyman of the New York Post recently reported that Martinez does indeed hope to play in 2025," Kelly wrote.

"Martinez's numbers from 2024 with the New York Mets don't look great, but he did still mash left-handed pitching. In 138 plate appearances against left-handed pitching last season, Martinez posted an .836 OPS. For a team looking for a veteran clubhouse presence who can get a bulk of their DH at-bats, specifically the ones against left-handed pitching, Martinez fits.

"The left-handed hitting Jonathan Aranda is currently penciled in as the DH for the Rays. Eloy Jiménez will be in camp as a non-roster invitee, but Martinez, even at this stage, would be a massive upgrade for a team trying to compete in a crowded AL East," he continued.

It will certainly be interesting to see where Martinez lands this offseason.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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