PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — J.D. Martinez and the New York Mets finalized a $12 million, one-year contract on Saturday.
The 36-year-old designated hitter will get a $2.5 million signing bonus, $2 million this 12 months and $7.5 million in deferred cash, payable in $1.5 million installments every Jan. 15 from 2034-38.
“Happily sufficient, I discovered a spot right here with New York and a type of last-second-type issues and it labored out,” Martinez advised reporters in Port St. Lucie, Florida. “I am excited to be right here. I do know the blokes are tremendous excited to have me, and I am tremendous excited to only be within the clubhouse with them and I am prepared for the journey forward of us.”
Martinez hit .271 with 33 homers and 103 RBIs in simply 113 video games final 12 months for the Los Angeles Dodgers, offering strong worth on the one-year, $10 million contract he signed earlier than the season. Again and groin issues restricted his availability, however he added a Nationwide League All-Star choice to the 5 instances he made it within the AL with Detroit and Boston.
He slots into the center of the Mets’ lineup and offers them one other energy hitter to pair with Pete Alonso. Each can turn out to be free brokers after this season.
Martinez stated Alonso was a robust advocate to carry him on board.
After ready all spring to land a job, Martinez stated he’ll in all probability want at the very least 15 days to prepare for the season. So he will not break camp with the Mets in time for Opening Day on Thursday in opposition to Milwaukee.
“It form of sucks. Clearly, I wish to break with the staff. I wish to be there. I wish to be there for Opening Day. That is a particular factor to be part of,” Martinez stated. “However I’ve received to get my physique prepared. I’ve received to have my spring coaching now and I’ve received to prepare for the season. The very last thing I wish to do is form of simply rush by way of it and get damage. So I wish to be certain I take it gradual and construct my physique as much as get again on the market.”
To open a roster spot for Martinez, the Mets designated right-hander Phil Bickford for task.
David Stearns, the staff’s new president of baseball operations, had insisted the Mets needed to offer kids Mark Vientos and Brett Baty loads of at-bats this season reasonably than usher in a veteran at DH or third base. However now Martinez turns into the first DH as a substitute of Vientos, who might nonetheless share taking part in time at third with Baty, getting possibilities in opposition to left-handed pitching specifically.
Martinez stated he and Vientos have a relationship that goes “means again” as a result of they prepare on the similar place. The veteran slugger stated he inspired Vientos to not get discouraged by the obvious lack of taking part in time as a result of huge league alternatives can all the time come up for gifted gamers — whether or not with the Mets or elsewhere.
“I perceive his frustration,” Martinez stated.
Martinez has performed the nook outfield spots solely sparingly the previous two seasons, however he has given each indication he is usually a productive DH. Final season was the primary time in Dodgers historical past the staff had 4 gamers with 100 RBIs, with Martinez becoming a member of Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy.
The 33 dwelling runs for Martinez have been his most since 2019, and his OPS of .893 represented his highest since that 12 months.
Martinez started his profession with Houston however blossomed after being launched by the Astros and picked up by the Tigers in 2014. He hit a career-high 45 homers for Detroit and Arizona in 2017, then joined the Purple Sox and hit 43 the next 12 months, when Boston gained its most up-to-date World Sequence title.
Martinez was one of many prime free brokers left available on the market. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery, one other Scott Boras consumer, continues to be searching for a brand new staff within the last days of spring coaching.
“Offseason was form of a rollercoaster,” Martinez stated. “There’s quite a lot of actually good gamers on the market which are in the identical state of affairs.”