JD Martinez is going to bring vital depth and a steady presence at the designated hitter spot to the New York Mets’ lineup behind Pete Alonso, which helped boost the club’s postseason outlook ahead of the 2024 season after a muted winter.
The 36-year-old posted an .893 OPS with 33 home runs and 103 RBI last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers before waiting until the dying embers of spring training to finally sign — the Scott Boras client inking a one-year, $12 million pact with David Stearns to come to Queens.
His reason for signing with the Mets is simple: He wants to win and he wants to win now, which has not necessarily jived with Stearns’ diagnosis of 2024 in that the playoffs are a target, not necessarily a championship.
“I want to win,” Martinez said during his introductory press conference (h/t SNY). “I’m addicted to the playoffs. I’ve been there multiple times… once you get a taste of it, it’s kind of addicting.”
His arrival, though, has not only pushed Mark Vientos out of the designated hitter role but off the big-league roster altogether — the Mets optioning him to Triple-A on Sunday.
This is a somewhat familiar feeling for Martinez, although it came a decade ago. In 2014, he was cut by the Houston Astros where Stearns was their assistant general manager. That is what he reminded Vientos about when the two spoke outside the batting cages on Saturday down in Port St. Lucie, FL.
“At the time it was the worst thing to me,” Martinez said. “And I felt like the world was falling down on me. But then I looked back and you know, God has got a reason he does everything and that was the biggest blessing for me ever. So I said, ‘Thank you.’”
For Vientos, this is the latest frustrating turn of his Mets tenure. His playing time had been sporadic over his first two stints in the majors where he batted .205 during that stretch. He was teased as the everyday DH this season as Stearns repeatedly broadcasted the priority of making sure younger players got consistent playing time, Vientos being one of them.
In 56 spring training at-bats, the 24-year-old batted .232 with five home runs and nine RBI.
“[I told him] there’s plenty of opportunities, whether it’s here, whether it’s another team,” Martinez said. “You just go out there and you play your game and you play your hardest and the chips are going to fall. Talent will always find its way to the big leagues.”
