Much of the offseason focus remains on the so-called “Boras four”: Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery and Matt Chapman — all of whom remain unsigned into Spring Training. There’s one other player from MLBTR’s top 20 free agents who has yet to put pen to paper. J.D. Martinez doesn’t have the earning power of his aforementioned younger counterparts, but he’s another Boras Corporation client coming off an excellent platform year.
Martinez was always going to face some market limitations. He’s 36 years old and has started one game on defense over the past two seasons. Some teams simply won’t want to commit to an aging designated hitter. Still, there’s a strong case that Martinez is the best unsigned offensive player. Much of Bellinger’s and Chapman’s value lies in their defense. Teams that just want a short-term boost to the middle of their lineup could look to Martinez.
Which clubs still make sense as a landing spot?
Strongest Fits
Angels: The Halos aren’t going to replace Shohei Ohtani’s production at DH, but Martinez is the closest remaining approximation. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic has written that the Angels aren’t keen on bringing in a full-time designated hitter, reasoning that Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon might be better served rotating through the position to stay healthy. On the other hand, Aaron Hicks is so far the only addition to a lineup that was merely average despite an MVP season from Ohtani. It’s hard to reconcile that lack of activity with claims from GM Perry Minasian and owner Arte Moreno that the team hopes to compete in 2024.
Mets: Martinez has been most frequently tied to the Mets throughout the winter. The New York Post’s Mike Puma reported a couple weeks ago that the sides remain in contact. Will Sammon of the Athletic has characterized those discussions as due diligence, writing that New York is likelier to turn to 24-year-old Mark Vientos to gauge whether he can be a part of a contending lineup in 2025 and beyond. It doesn’t seem the door is completely closed, but the Mets are at least waiting to see if the asking price falls.
Longer Shot Possibilities
Cubs: It’d be a surprise if Martinez is the remaining free agent whom the Cubs grab. Chicago has been tied far more often to Bellinger and Chapman, both of whom are cleaner fits on the roster. If the Cubs feel Christopher Morel and Michael Busch can hold their own on the infield corners, that theoretically opens DH. It’d leave the coaching staff without much defensive flexibility, though. Boras and Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts traded barbs yesterday after Ricketts was asked about Bellinger, although there’s nothing to suggest that’ll stop Chicago from engaging on any of Boras’ clients.
Guardians: If Martinez’s long stay on the open market drops his asking price, the Guardians could be opportunistic. They’ve taken shots at first base/DH types before, bringing in Edwin Encarnación and Josh Bell in free agency. Last winter’s Bell signing didn’t work, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t have more success with Martinez. Cleveland has Josh Naylor and highly-regarded prospect Kyle Manzardo as the likely first base/DH tandem. Manzardo, acquired in last summer’s trade of Aaron Civale to Tampa Bay, has yet to make his MLB debut. If Martinez takes a one-year deal in a similar price range as last year’s $10MM guarantee, there’s a case for Cleveland to jump in and keep Manzardo in Triple-A for another season.
Padres: As with a couple other teams in this tier, the biggest question for San Diego is their spending capacity. The Padres have at least one outfield vacancy and want to stabilize the back of the rotation. They’re projected roughly $20MM south of the luxury tax threshold and reportedly plan to remain below that line. That still leaves open the possibility of adding Martinez, but he’d likely account for at least half their remaining CBT space. With multiple areas to address (and a desire to leave some payroll space for midseason help), going big on a DH is a tough fit.
Red Sox: On paper, there’s a fit for Boston bringing Martinez back. They were loosely tied to similar players in Teoscar Hernández and Jorge Soler. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has been open about the desire for another right-handed bat. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo downplayed the fit earlier this month, though, writing that Martinez’s “unique methods weren’t universally loved within the walls of Boston’s clubhouse” during his first stint.
Twins: If Martinez’s market drops far enough, perhaps Minnesota could jump in. The Twins were middle-of-the-pack in production against left-handed pitching a year ago. They added Carlos Santana on a $5.25MM deal to split time with Alex Kirilloff between first base and DH. Martinez is a much better hitter than Santana, though, so there’s a case for kicking the latter to the bench. The bigger obstacle might be Byron Buxton. He’s moving back to center field after knee injuries kept him to DH work for the entirety of 2023. Would the Twins be confident enough in Buxton holding up physically to sign a DH? They have a projected payroll in the $124MM range after opening the winter with a reported spending target between $125-140MM.
Already Addressed DH
A number of teams that could’ve been suitors for Martinez have gone elsewhere to add a starting designated hitter. The Dodgers (Ohtani), Blue Jays (Justin Turner), Giants (Soler), Mariners (Mitch Garver), and Diamondbacks (Joc Pederson) all once made sense but are more difficult fits now.
The Pirates never seemed likely to meet Martinez’s asking price and re-signed Andrew McCutchen. Milwaukee’s signing of Rhys Hoskins was more of a direct addition at first base, but he’s also a right-handed hitter without much defensive flexibility. The Brewers have a handful of outfielders who could push Christian Yelich to DH at times and also agreed to terms with Gary Sánchez on a one-year deal as a backup catcher/DH option. (Milwaukee still hasn’t announced the Sánchez contract nearly two weeks after it was first reported.)
In-House DH
The Phillies (Kyle Schwarber), Braves (Marcell Ozuna), and Astros (Yordan Alvarez) all have clear starters. The Orioles, Cardinals, Reds and Rays don’t have a set DH but have plenty of options who could rotate through the position. The Yankees could theoretically pursue Martinez and move Giancarlo Stanton to the bench. It’s hard to see that happening given the amount of money still owed to Stanton and the 110% tax they’d need to pay on top of Martinez’s salary. The Royals signed Hunter Renfroe to take a corner outfield spot and probably want to give regular run to MJ Melendez and Nelson Velázquez between left field and DH.
Unlikely To Add
A few teams have theoretical openings at DH but have already declared they’re unlikely to make any more notable acquisitions this offseason. Tigers GM Scott Harris said last week that the team doesn’t have “a ton of at-bats available for another everyday-type bat.” They’ll likely turn to Kerry Carpenter as the primary DH.
The Rangers lost Garver in free agency but seem to be up against their spending limit. Last year’s #4 overall pick Wyatt Langford isn’t far off the majors. Texas could rotate a handful of players through DH if they want Langford to get more seasoning in Triple-A. The Nationals haven’t done much this winter and could certainly incorporate another bat. GM Mike Rizzo more or less declared their offseason finished last week, though. Martinez might prioritize a more obvious contender anyhow.
Competitive Window/Payroll Questions
The White Sox, A’s and Rockies are not going to compete for a playoff spot in 2024. Of that trio, only Oakland has completely embraced a rebuild. Chicago and Colorado aren’t aggressively adding, though, and Martinez probably doesn’t want to sign with a clear non-contender at this stage of his career.
Miami lost Soler and hasn’t acquired a new DH. The Marlins haven’t brought in a major league free agent at all. It’s a disappointing offseason for the fanbase coming off a surprising Wild Card berth. Given their dearth of activity, it’s hard to imagine they bring in Martinez, even if he’d be a fairly direct replacement for their biggest offseason departure.
Scott Boras is really terrible at getting contracts for his clients… or is he really good?
Boras overplayed his hand(s) this winter. At this point, I don’t see any of the “Boras 4” getting their target number/years.
I know the MLBPA is against a free agent deadline, but it would really help both sides.
Owners would be forced to pony up their best offer early on and players would know exactly what their true market is and not waste time signing. It would make free agency similar to the NBA and NFL. The top guys would sign immediately and that would open the market up for the 2nd tier guys and the fringe guys.
It’s not complicated.
Say you make it… January 15th as a deadline. After that, teams can only sign players on vet min or minor league deals. That way, fringe players could sign whenever due to injuries or roster spots opening up via trades/DFAs etc…
Guys like Martinez woulda been signed by now because guys like Snell and Bellinger would already be off the board.
FA works so well because the NBA and NFL have actual salary caps, that won’t happen in MLB so the next best option is a deadline.
I fully agree, and I like the January 15th deadline better than the hypothetically proposed December 31st deadline, as the “Boras 4” could literally not sign until the Trade Deadline if they wanted to hold out.
As for Scott Boras himself, I feel like his clients have been signing later and later in recent years, which is another reason why I support a deadline.
It works in other sports because of the hard cap. Once spent, money can’t be spent again. Without one, owners would wait out all but the top talent. Not sure but I would think the MLBPA would argue collusion.
Bryzz – Sorry but that’s a horrible idea.
Look at the logjam created this offseason just by everyone waiting on Yama …. and he had a very early deadline to sign!
Under your suggestion, which BTW is ridiculously early (full month before ST even begins) what will happen? Teams will pursue the one or two biggest stars right up until the deadline, and then when the stars sign elsewhere there would be zero time for teams to shift to “Plan B” or “Plan C”..
And what about star players coming off an injury or coming out of semi-retirement like Clemens did? How can they get their true value if they can’t start the regular season on time?
STOP begging for rules/laws because of rare situations where one jerk causes problems. Neither teams nor players need to be forced to do as someone says. You handle it like an adult, by taking care of it yourself. Teach the offender a lesson.
The owners are doing EXACTLY what needs to be done to prevent this from happening again …. they are teaching Boras a lesson, and players are realizing Boras ain’t God. After this Fantastic Four Fiasco, I bet Boras won’t pull this stall tactic crap again and he’ll be more reasonable with player demands in the future. I also think more players will stay away from having him as their agent.
Disagree, it’s way to early to say this has backfired on Boras. Can’t make any claims like that until we see the contracts his clients sign
“Boras is really terrible”….Boras uses the very same strategy everytime but the market is not static and changes every year. Boras gets TOP players money, but often leaves the lesser players flailing and holding the bag. You can’t use the exact same strategy on lesser players that you use on a top player like Bryce Harper or Manny Machado.
Hence Danny Espinosa, who could’ve likely found new life as a defense-first player, but was not able to secure a contract, likely because he was a lackluster switch hitter after 2016.
mlb fan,
You nailed it in the head. Boras can’t make every client the greatest player ever. His tactics work for superstar players like Harper, Machado, Trout. Look at Michael Conforto, the Mets offered a pretty good extension, and how did that work out? A lot of money left on the table. You can fact check Conforto, always prefer than to say I’m absolutely correct on information.
acoss – I think Boras is more than a tad bit overrated in the superstar category too.
When you have superstar players, it’s not a hard sell. Most of the biggest contracts in MLB history were NOT negotiated by Boras ….. ironically two of the players you named, Trout and Machado, are not Boras clients. Neither is Mookie, Freeman, Ohtani, Lindor, etc etc.
“You nailed it”…With a less ego driven, one dimensional and bombastic player agent, Michael Conforto would be about halfway thru a 6/150M contract; Because that’s what the Mets once offered him. But, between Conforto and his “genius” player agent, Scott Boras, they felt that that contract wasn’t sufficient for a player of Mike’s “stature”.
How many contracts of 3+ years have the Braves given to Boras clients in the last decade? I thought I heard that the answer is 0, but I might be mistaken.
I agree mlb fan. Taking it a step further, Boras’ tactics affect players who aren’t even his clients. A great example is that both Clevinger and Lorenzen (neither Boras clients) are still out there mostly because Snell and Montgomery are holding up the line.
I’m not saying Clevinger and Lorenzen are at their level, but they’d more than likely already have a home if there wasn’t a logjam in the SP market.
IMO it’s an incredibly selfish way to operate and it slays me when i hear fans say Boras is good for baseball. Boras is good for Boras, not for baseball.
Hit the nail right on the head.
nuke – I don’t think Monty and Snell are holding up those two pitchers.
With Clevinger it’s more the injuries and the baggage.
With Lorenzen it’s the injuries and horrific performance in Philly.
Agree: the market for Snell and Montgomery is completely separate from the teams who’d be looking at Clevinger and Lorenzen. Finding $21m/2 yr vs $21m every year for five or six is not similar.
NYY has an offer out to Snell, so if SF grabs Montgomery then they’ll both head to camp and we’ll be looking at a guy who sucked (sometimes badly) for three of the past four years and another guy who might be aging prematurely from a low contact 4 WAR to perhaps far less. They both have top performances in their past and they’re 30 and under, but the ask is way high for the volatility. I could see a deal with a lower guarantee and lots of incentives, but if that’s all it takes I’m certain someone would have offered it by now.
It’s too early to determine if Boras overplayed his hand. There may be one guy who ends up with Musical Chairs egg on his face, and Boras may not reach his over-the-top asks, but his players will get paid,.
Not all if his players will get paid.
I’ve said it before. The Boras’ Corporation will reach their targeted financial goals but along the way, some players will exceed his targeted amount, others will hit it exactly and still others will get less. Boras’ never takes his turn with the gun in a game of Russian Roulette. Only the players do that.
Mike – If the owners stand their ground, the Boras players won’t get nearly as much as they expected.
In the past few years, which teams drove the market?
Dodgers
Yankees
Mets
Padres
Rangers
The Dodgers are all set.
The Yankees may do something stupid, but they don’t have much competition.
The Mets are definitely taking a year to regroup.
The Padres are broke.
The Rangers are broke.
Without those big spenders in the market, of course the remaining free agents won’t have that much leverage.
I cannot wait until the stories start coming out about how much less the Final Four players accepted compared to what they were offered earlier and what they were demanding earlier.
Rooting against players to not get paid their max value after owners underpay so many for 6-7 years is just odd.
Agreed. If I was a Boras client, I’d be as jittery as fark. No chance teams are meeting their expectation.
The Giants may do something. They have money and are desperate for that face of the franchise type. Though, I’m not sure there’s one out there. I view Snell, Bellinger, etc, more as Robin’s to a batman.
Getting sleepy trying to follow along with the bore us clients. You would think at least one of the top five would tire of his stalling tactics and just take a deal…Zzzz.
Big Scotty is under fire. They are lining up to have a shot at his methods. Good to see. He has sent plenty of that in the other direction.
If there are no key injuries in spring training or early in the season, Boras will need to lower his asking prices.
Both. Most of the time Bora$$ is willing to wait out the market for his clients and that is to his client’s benefit more often than not. There are times though that it does backfire but his record is pretty solid.
JD though is a victim of a changing landscape. While the NL has added the DH, more and more teams throughout the league do not value having a full time DH, preferring to use it to give players a day off from defense while keeping their bat in the line up. More teams like to mix and match lineups and not having a full time DH helps with that. Someone will eventually sign him but he is likely to play the rest of his career on 1 year contracts much like Nelson Cruz did.
I think he’d fit nice into Cleveland lineup as full time DH. Outside of maybe Naylor, not sure anyone else really needs to DH in their current lineup.
The fit would be great, problem is Dolan won’t pay him
Does anybody know what this could be referring to: “Martinez’s unique methods weren’t universally loved within the walls of Boston’s clubhouse” ??? What unique methods lol ?
Good question. We don’t know the unique methods and we don’t know who didn’t like them – players, coaches or both. I’m guessing he was doing his own thing and disregarding batting coaches. Maybe that was viewed as disruptive or undermining the batting coaches. Just a guess.
Sounds like he was channeling his inner Trevor Bauer.
Martinez is known for being very meticulous to detail, especially when it comes to video. I could definitely see where he would be difficult for coaches when he has said he literally gets footage of his AB’s from that days game sent home with him to analyze himself
The Angels need the DH spot to give young players AB and to rest Rendon and Trout
I agree and that was a *small silver lining when Shohei left – the DH spot opened up. That being said, the Angels are very light in the power department considering Rendon and Schanuel are their corners.
Right now, Drury lines up as their DH (assuming Rengifo is at 2B).
They’re going to need to get power somewhere. Obviously there’s Trout, but I think assuming Ward and Moniak both hitting 30+ HRs is a stretch.
Small silver linings:
1. DH spot opened up
2. Pitching rotation will be a real rotation on regular rest. The last few years it was 5 guys working around Ohtani.
I agree HHJJ. People didn’t want to hear it, but Shohei’s two-way stardom put a lot of pressure on the entire team when that team operates on the margins (as the Angels did). The Angels really weren’t staffed for a 6-man rotation nor were they built for basically having zero DH opportunities for other (aging) players. The coaching staff was ill-prepared.
A team like the Dodgers, which doesn’t operate on the margins as it has depth and money to spare, is a perfect fit.
This is the year the Angels need to find out who Schanuel, O’Hoppe, Neto, Rengifo, Adel, Moniak, Ward, Sandoval, Canning and Detmers are. Replace whoever necessary. If they have to replace most, then they have to rebuild.
They also need to know if Trout and Rendon can play most of a season. Utilizing the DH spot correctly will enable the Angels to get all the position player questions answered.
I’m looking forward to most of this young talent progressing. Hopefully a rebuild will not be necessary.
nukeg, I think Martinez is definitely what the Angels need. Trout & Rendon don’t/can’t stay healthy for a full season. Heck, Rendon doesn’t even want to play a full season. Baseball is just a pain in the rear job to him. Moreno needs to trade Rendon (good luck there), & trade Trout while he can get 1 or 2 good young prospects for him. Moreno doesn’t have too much baseball savvy though.
Martinez could/should be worth 25 to 30 home runs for the Angels.
I’m still thinking Yoshida will have a monster second season and having him DH removes JDM from the Sox equation because he can’t play the field. Duvall needs to be resigned however
Dewey, the sox needed a corner IF dh-type closer to turner, NOT another OF bat.
Corner infield is a problem depth-wise, and, the types of guys you can probably get as a non-roster invite to end up making it as a bench piece, or, try to stash in the minors, really dont have the impact bats you want.
GA, it will never happen but my first choice is Chapman so Devers has to be the DH. Then trade Yoshida eating some money or trade Duran and open up CF for either RC or Duval.
Dewey, my first choice was hoskins as a dh and corner infield substitute, with dalbec as emergency depth. Obviously it didn’t happen either.
They don’t get plenty of rest on their numerous DL stints?
Marlins feel like they should be a longer shot possibility—-maybe they’re not doing anything with multiple pitching injuries.
Taking Soler out of that lineup makes it extremely weak. They could certainly use a legit bat if they have any hopes of competing.
Avisail Garcia probably gets the majority of DH AB’s, at least early on.
If tough these days for DH only guys wanting to get paid. Even if teams have an opening, they like using multiple guys at DH, and get players off they feet a bit. Good luck JD, he’s still a very good hitter.
The Mets seem like his best spot
No they don’t. They have young talented players to give those ABs too.
Overrated players. As has been said in this column, if not the Mets, the Angels.
“Overrated players”? Vientos hasn’t done anything yet to be rated at all, much less overrated. And hilarious to think that DJ Stewart of all people is overrated. Plus Alonso will get DH time as well. Martinez would be a nice addition on a one or two year deal, but the Mets are content to roll with what they have at DH.
Having an OPS of around a thousand in a couple high minor league season is not doing anything at all? What’s someone got to do to get a real shot?
If the cubs are not going to sign Bellinger they really need another bat. JD actually makes a ton of sense
Because Josh Naylor was injured playing RF once, that means he can’t play the position anymore?
Probably more to do with his weak arm and slow foot speed. You can give him a glove but that doesn’t make him an OF.
This is nonsense. He’s played half his career in the OF.
This is about cheapskates.
Nah Josh is sick but he’s a liability outside the batters box
The Padres tried to make him an outfielder because he was blocked at 1B. When CLE acquired him, they knew he was a first baseman and not an outfielder, but played him at RF to get him into the lineup. Eventually his injuries made it clear that that was no longer an option.
If you saw the injury and his recovery you would not be asking this. Probably in bottom 5 percent of position players speed wise. He’s not the same slow player. He’s another notch slower. It was a gruesome injury.
Rockies
Let him bash for half a year then trade him
JD might as well hang ’em up since, according to the story, there are no teams that will likely sign him. A guy that can produce like he did will be signed by a team with a legit chance to do something in the PO.
Right! Hey the Dodgers are out, that alone makes him an official free agent.
Marlins, Mets or Padres make a lot of sense. I could see him joining the Tigers as a dark horse since they really aren’t that far off in the Central.
He’d just take at bats away from young guys like Carpenter and Malloy, and the Tigers need DH for Greene at least at the start of the year which further blocks the spot. DH will be crowded in Detroit this year. Maybe if they signed him instead of trading for Canha they could make everyone fit but even then. Don’t get me wrong I love JD’s bat but I don’t think he fits at all right now.
Tigers putting all their faith in a thin young roster leads me to believe they forget that young players crash & burn often & injuries happen frequently- especially in Detroit. By not forcing the kids to win spots, especially in the corners roles, is accepting long odds on being competitive over 162 games. I sure miss Mike I…
Too many DH types already on the team. They need a veteran power bat at 3B. Bregman would be nice but that will probably have to wait until next yearif they even consider it. Growing pains!
Pads should be after Martinez but don’t know what the heck is going on with ownership.
Looks like they want to play Crone at 1B. (Which I believe is a massive waste but they’re kind of pigeonholed without a trade of him or Kim) but Martinez def would fit. I think they could really use another 1B option too.
Merrill almost has to make this team as it’s currently constructed.
agree!
@Tow. Wait. You agree that JD is the answer for Pads at 1B instead of Cronenworth even though Martinez is now 100% a DH?
Ok let’s revisit the BrianStrowmangs post.
He said playing Crone at first in his opinion is a massive waste.
I agree.
He believes Martinez would fit at DH.
I agree.
He believes that the Padres need another option at 1st instead of Cronenworth.
I agree.
Cronenworth’s offensive output at first was abysmal.
The Padres need another 1b. Cronenworth needs to be a super utility type at this point.
So the Padres need:
LF
CF
1b
DH
One more starter.
Yes, the Padres need a traditional 1b.
Haven’t had one since Adrian Gonzalez.
The roster, as currently constructed lends itself to a fourth place finish in the West.
This year is being viewed, by the actions of ownership, as a “developmental year” akin to punting in 2024.
Yeah. I never once mentioned giving JD Martinez a 1B mitt.
The Pads quite clearly need more than 1 major league bat. There’s some prospects that could potentially patch up some holes but I don’t see all of them being plugged.
The Mets don’t need him. They have Luke Voit and Ji-Man Choi. 😉
Vientos will get most of their DH AB’s.
Unique methods needs to be expanded. Let him rake.
Yeah, what does that even mean?
Does that mean JD adds a certain liquid to his hands for better grip like Moises Alou did? That could mean anything.
Maybe he has a special Dr. Bobby’s son had one too…….ended up breaking the HR record. Possible explanation for unique methods. Don’t kid yourselves- Big Albert was a juicer too.
In addition to Trout and Rendon getting DH ABs, I believe the Angels want to cycle Hicks through the DH spot, as well. As every Yankees fan knows, Hicks has had his fair share of injuries. Look for Trout, Hicks, Ward and Moniak to get reps in the OF with Trout, Hicks and Rendon getting the majority of DH ABs. Rengifo and Drury should get some DH time, as well.
Hicks doesn’t figure in plans for 2025, so what’s the point.is this season about winning as many games as possible or getting a dozen questions answered. I hope it’s the latter.
Imo, Hicks isn’t blocking anyone. There are no questions left to be answered for me regarding Adell. I’ve said from the start, Adell is an athlete, not a baseball player. Barring injury to an Angels OF, Adell will be gone by mid-season as the Angels don’t need five OF on the roster.
I understand you think all the questions reagarding Adell have been answered.
He got everyday ABs in AAA. 12 percent walk rate. 26 percent K rate. Both were great improvements over 2022.
Give him everyday ABs, don’t waste ABs on Hicks, and then I’ll know.
I don’t think Adell will get everyday ABs, but your point of view is certainly fair and reasonable, and supported by many, if not most, Angels fans.
And. I think not giving him everyday ABs is a huge mistake.
I don’t mind being alone on an island. I often am, and am often, not always, right.
I don’t think agents/players realized how serious this local TV business is. A lot of baseball just isn’t going to spend this winter. Too many unknowns with revenue means expenditures are not going to be high. Bad year to be a free agent.
Especially bad year to still be a FA after teams have spent their budgets.
Have the Mets even considered Brandon Belt as their LH DH?
He can play 1B and platoon with Vientos as the RH DH,
Why not let Vientos just play every day?
Let’s hope none. One tool players are boring and overvalued.
As a long-time Red Sox fan, I very much enjoyed J.D.’s time on the team. His intense work ethic is one of the most methodical and disciplined in the majors. And I don’t understand Sox management’s apparent feeling about him not being the right force in the clubhouse — J.D.’s a cerebral guy, not a Justin Turner type (you need both IMO). But his value more importantly is that he made every single Red Sox hitter (who paid attention) a much better batter — as well as a better player. J.D would be a credit to any team who appreciates his talents. And he’s going to make an insane hitting coach one day.
Great to hear your comments RSF04. Your respect and praise for JD’s professional approach is exactly what I heard all last year from Dodger players and coaches. It’s what Ai personally saw day in and day out watching the man!
“Bad year to be a free agent.” Not if you’re from the Land of the Rising Sun. Ahahaha
Rengifo rates out in the lower 3 percent in range. Horrible feet. Drury is the better second baseman, but he doesn’t have the arm.
I don’t know what they are going to do with Rengifo.
And Moniak with a 50 percent chase rate and 11 to 1 K to BB rate will likely stink
But 2024 is the year to get these questions answered. Along with 10 others.
Imo, Rengifo will get full-time ABs as a super sub playing 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF, RF and DH. I’m guessing the majority of his ABs will come at 2B, 3B and DH. Anyone that has positional versatility and hits over .950 the final three months of the season will get regular ABs.
Moniak will likely get the majority of his ABs as an OF vs RHP. I do not anticipate he will figure into the DH mix. He’s much better vs RHP, but the jury is out due to his unreasonably high BABIP and SO rate.
Schanuel, Neto and O’Hoppe will get full-time ABs. Adell will likely make the team as a fifth OF out of ST as he is out of options. If there is an injury to Trout, Hicks, Ward or Moniak, he will get some playing time. Keep in mind, Trout and Hicks have logged a lot of time on the DL over the past several years. Otherwise, imo, Adell will be traded or DFAd well in advance the All Star break.
Rengifo can’t play anywhere. His statcast page has his range in the lower 3 percentile.
Can he hit? Can he play 3rd? I don’t know.
Using such a poor defender as a utility player will not be fruitful.
Rengifo has played everywhere except P, C and 1B the last two seasons and hit over .950 July-September last year. His OPS+ the last two years has been 102 and 111. And he is still trending upward.
You screamed bloody murder when Adell played LF and RF a couple of years ago, yet you give Rengifo no credit for playing 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF and RF. Feels like you grade players diferrently based on your whims.
The Angels DH will likely be a mix of Trout, Hicks, and Drury. None are Ohtani but keeping all three healthy for the year has to be the plan.
What’s the point of giving Hicks AB. He’s a band-aide. Use the DH spot to get questions answered.
I’m fine with competing for wins while giving the kids the majority of playing time.
Hicks at DH means Moniak is in the field; possibly Adell.
Drury at DH means Rengifo is in the field.
Trout at DH means at least one of Moniak or Adell is in the field, possibly both. Same with Ward.
I don’t really want the kids to endure a 90+ loss season. I prefer they get their experience in competitive ballgames.
If this team loses 90 games, then the youngsters didn’t progress. and that should force the Angels to rebuild.
Come this summer, they should have a much better idea who these young players are. Don’t waste the ABs on Hicks. And if Hicks is needed, then it’s time to cut bait on these players.
Devers hit better in Boston when J.D. was there. He probably knew more about hitting than the coaches! It would be a good signing for Boston
If the Angels went for it and signed JDM, Bellinger, Snell and Lorenzen, would they have a great all-around team? Could they compete with Houston, Texas and Seattle for the West? I think it would make them legit contenders. Is it likely? No, but exciting as a baseball fan to ponder on a Tuesday afternoon.
Orioles DH room is crowded. That’s said; those players all play other positions too. IMO, Os could use one more adult bat in the line up. My gut says guys like Frazier and Hicks will be missed more than realized.
Get JD. He’d be the primary with Rutschman getting reps on break days from catching duties. Ohearn and Kerjstead and Mountcastle and Santander and on and on and on are a part of it too but most of their action is at other positions.
A lot of collusion going on right now. JD Martinez put up .900 ops last yr. Should easily get a 2 yr deal like JT did 3 yrs ago when he was 36.
@theguru
No collusion. Who’s to say he hasn’t gotten offers, even 2 year offers? We only know he is not signed. We only hear about what they accept.
If you can’t see the collusion going on then I can’t help you. MLBPA has won a court case against MLB collusion numerous times.
This wouldn’t affect JD, but I’m wondering if there’s been any consideration to removing the deadline for rejecting a QO. In some cases, players who are not finding the long-term deals they want could go back and sign the QO then return to free agency next year.
That would make things quite difficult for the offering team. They won’t be able to replace the position for fear of having to pay two players. They may not be able to get the player they want, as they couldn’t make a competing offer yet.
D-Backs should sign him. Joc can’t hit lefties and has had trouble staying healthy lately.
“Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has been open about the desire for another right-handed bat”. Yeah. Someone who’ll sign for $15/hr.
I think it’s a conflict of interest (which I’m sure Boras has player waive in his contract with them) to have multiple players at same position and contracts expiring at same time.
He should have separate agents that work independently of Scott and each other so the player doesn’t end up overplaying their market.
Pirates should sign and rotate with Cutch at DH/RF. Then flip at the deadline if (when?) they are out of contention.
Pirates add some much needed thump and deepen their lineup of bats. Give themselves a better chance to compete but also hedge by having a valued trade chip.
Martinez gets paid, playing time, and either way ends up on a contender come fall.
Win win?
Forgot to include Korean league … if these FA continue to ask for the moon, Boras can change his name to Alice
Tampa Bay could still use of full time hard hitting DH
Perfect fit for the Mets.
Marlins stuck with Garcias contract. Can only sign JD if trade Avisal. It’ll take a Miami Miracle.
Signing the hometown star would be such an easy way for MIA to buy some fan enthusiasm and maybe help some young hitters blossom. To me they’re the most obvious fit and it’s funny how they got mentioned last out of all the teams listed here.
Go Cubs Go!!!
I could see the Angels signing JD Martinez to a 10 year deal.
This one is not all on Boras, but he certainly didn’t help. JD has been known to overvalue his services dating all the way back the Boston deal. Sure, Boras has been his agent but JD tells him what he wants and Boras goes for it. They played the same game last year and ended up having to sign a one year, ‘below market’ deal with the LAD for $10M. He had turned down offers larger than this earlier in the offseason, thinking he would get more.
After a great season with LA, both JDM & Boras set their market for this year at $XX million per year and felt he deserved at least a 2-year guarantee, if not more. Meanwhile, teams are not paying top dollar for DH only type players, especially those in their mid-30’s. There’s no question that Arizona would have preferred JDM over Joc Pederson, but Joc agreed to sign for 1 year / $12M and JDM/Boras said no way to that offer. Now with most of the openings filled by teams and not a lot of money left to spend, JD is going to be left holding the bag once again because he has overvalued himself. I like JD and I’m not rooting against him, but you could see this coming a mile away especially with Boras as his agent.
I’m rooting for the angels to get him. I want to see them be a good team and having Washington as their coach, I think the mindset is gonna shift in the right direction. They just need to keep adding quality players that can get them to that point. Martinez seems to be one of those guys.
Wait, now we’re reading JD’s clubhouse methods were not “universally appreciated” in Boston? The whole time he was here we were reading about what a good role model and mentor he was for younger players. Why are we first hearing now that there was some dissent?
1) Take anything from Cotillo with a grain of salt.
2) It was well reported that the hitting coaches felt like JDM interfered with their ability to work with some players. He can help certain players, especially when he’s new to a club but if his methods don’t work, coaches don’t want to compete with him for players’ attention.
JD is Marlins bound
Would be nice but I don’t see it