Last week, a poll of MLBTR readers revealed an overwhelming consensus about who of the remaining hitters left on the market is the best. More than 59% of respondents selected veteran slugger J.D. Martinez as the best hitter still available in free agency, and it’s not difficult to see why. The 37-year-old is a six-time All-Star who’s been an above average hitter in ten consecutive 162-game seasons, and there aren’t many players in baseball who can offer a resume that includes 331 homers and more than 1,700 hits.
Even so, he’s lingered on the free agent market into March for the second consecutive offseason. Much of that could simply be about his position—or, rather, lack thereof. While it’s certainly not unheard of for clubs to employ a full-time DH, the overwhelming majority of clubs prefer to either rotate regulars through the DH slot in the lineup as a form of rest or utilize a player with some ability to play elsewhere on the diamond there. Martinez does not offer that luxury, having last started more than one game in the outfield back in 2021 and last getting into even 50 games as an outfielder back in 2018.
That inherently restricts his market by blocking him from joining clubs who have regulars at DH already, and it also makes it more difficult for Martinez to fit a club in a bench role. While Justin Turner has similarly acted primarily as a DH in recent years, his ability to play first base or even a little third base in a pinch made him a viable addition to the Cubs’ bench to complement Michael Busch at first and act as a secondary DH option on days where Seiya Suzuki is in the outfield. Martinez lacks that sort of flexibility, and it’s all but impossible for a club to justify carrying a pure DH without a clear pathway to at least semi-regular at-bats.
Another concern is Martinez’s weak platform season. 2024 was Martinez’s worst campaign in years, as he hit just .235/.320/.406 (108 wRC+) with a 28.5% strikeout rate and just 16 homers in 495 trips to the plate for the Mets. Martinez’s expected numbers suggest that poor fortune may have played a role in his down season, particularly in a second half where he hit just .199/.282/.340 (79 wRC+) despite similar strikeout and walk numbers to his first half (130 wRC+) and a strong 13% barrel rate. While the underlying numbers suggest a bounceback season is likely for Martinez in 2025, players in their late 30s often face additional scrutiny in free agency and clubs may have reservations about Martinez’s ability to rebound completely at his age.
That’s not to say there should be no market for Martinez’s services, of course. As previously mentioned, the veteran’s underlying numbers suggest he’s still got the tools necessary to be a well-above average regular. What’s more, even simply repeating last year’s lackluster season would be an upgrade for a number of clubs. 15 teams garnered a wRC+ lower than Martinez’s 106 from their DH mix last year, and a handful of clubs still have questions in that corner of the roster. The Yankees have reportedly been in contact with the slugger with incumbent DH Giancarlo Stanton ticketed for a potentially lengthy absence due to elbow soreness. However, Jon Heyman of The New York Post wrote last night that the Yanks seem to have limited desire to spend at this point of the offseason.
They’re the only club to be publicly connected to Martinez amid a quiet offseason for the veteran, but it’s easy to see a fit for the slugger on clubs like the Giants or Padres that lack a regular option at DH. Meanwhile, the Tigers are reportedly pondering playing Kerry Carpenter in the outfield this year and have a need for additional right-handed thump in their lineup, the Reds got the weakest production in all of baseball out of their DH mix last season, and it’s even possible to imagine teams like the Cardinals and Guardians who have young, left-handed bats locked in at DH having interest in Martinez as a right-handed complement to those players.
Where do MLBTR readers think Martinez will ultimately land? Have your say in the poll below:
He is just not that good any more.
Sorry.
That’s why yhe yanks will sign him.
He’s a year removed from a .893 ops, 33 HR in 113 games for LA. His statcast for 2024 doesn’t look bad, he’s still burning a lot of hot red on his card. Seattle should take him.
I see him signing with the Royals
El Segundo Devil Dogs
I think that “The Unemployment Line” should be an option in the survey.
No unemployment line for JD. He’s already signed a pro contract for Pickleball once he’s done with MLB.
What are you talking about? As far as the Mariners go, he would immediately make them better which, of course, says more about their terrible offense, than it says about JD.
The Yankees aren’t going to sign him. He can’t play a position, and he’s not a left handed bat. I think he officially retires.
He could get a nice payday in either Japan or South Korea too. As an expat in Asia, I can testify that these places are actually really nice.
I don’t think he retires. There are lots of players that he is still better than
The reason why I think he retires is because he started a family. He and his wife have a child now, and he was considering retirement to be home. This was something he talked about last year. He said it would have to be an ideal situation for him. I just don’t think the Yankees have any real use for an aging right handed power hitter who can’t really play a position anymore. Just to get him on the field last year, he needed a shot in his back to get rid of the pain. I just think those 2 factors will put him out of the game. He’ll be a hitting instructor for someone in a few years.
I could see Preller signing him as a platoon piece at DH with Ornelas/Arraez
I could see that too but for how much?
I’d guess JD won’t get more than maybe a 1yr 3m deal..maybe with some fairly easy to reach incentives? Hard to say..
Could just as easily be the same deal Profar got last year 1yr/1m..
But would he take that?
Yeah, that’s where my vote went.
I was just thinking “add a bat or two”
I’d also think the Royals, Yankees, Detroit, or Seattle
He was legitimately good up until July last season. As the article notes he still had some encouraging underlying numbers even after his game fell off a cliff. I definitely think he warrants a spot on someone’s roster. He’s also a good clubhouse guy and there were lots of reports about him helping some of the Mets’ young hitters like Vientos. If the Mets had an opening I wouldn’t mind bringing him back, but they don’t.
“good up until July”
He started the season in AAA and was called up in May. That’s two months of not-even-every-day play.
He seems like a good guy, but he probably would be a better hitting instructor now. I hope a team gives him that opportunity.
It appears to me, a very non-expert, that his playing days could be over.
But what do I know?
He signed late and had 20 A ball and 8 AAA PA before playing for the Mets. He’s not quite ready for instructor status yet in my opinion, the old man style got game.
With some players, it’s a slow, steady decline.
With others, it’s like falling off a cliff.
He looked terribly exposed — with zero bat speed — in August, September & October last year. I don’t think there’s a team in the MLB that would take a chance on a guy like Martinez. It’s a young guy’s game.
He would be a great guy on an MLB broadcast team.
Or, as mentioned earlier, a hitting instructor.
He can still hit.
Even us old guys still got wood!
The sad reality of baseball is the fact that teams only carry 26 players. When thirty teams add a rookie to the lineup that they have to carry all year, it means an automatic 30 players are forced out of the majors, onto disabled lists, or into retirement. Martinez, plus other players are just casualties of the game and they have already earned their wealth to last the rest of their lives. It allows new players to start their careers and the facts state if someone signs an old player, it subtracts one roster slot for a player fans want to see in the majors, not in the minors. Fans can choose to see Martinez or one of the top twenty prospects in baseball. They can’t have both.
Works that way in the minors too.
Should have been an option to say none. I think he still has something left in the tank but a DH only hitter just doesn’t have that much value to most teams. So not sure he’ll sign anywhere this year, at least this spring.
Especially a DH-only who may not be worth anything any more.
I can see someone signing him on an incentive-laden deal based on PAs as a form of ‘if you’re not good right away, so long’ contract, but with $154m in earnings he may not be a guy who signs up for that.
If he doesn’t sign this spring, I wouldn’t expect him to come back at all.
A modern day Kirk Gibson for the Tigers!
Get him over to GABP.
Who cares…..guy is washed
Reds are going to sneak in and sign him and he’ll have 40+ home runs in GABP. First base and DH if Spencer Steer continues to have shoulder problems.
From June 25th to the end of the season he hit .194 with a .618 OPS and 7 HR in 268 PA, iirc.
4 singles in 18 AB in the postseason, plus 6 BB, which isn’t nothing, but the power was gone. .On base 10 times and scored once. This is not a guy who’s going to hit a lot of doubles at 37.
Jack- In GABP he doesn’t have to hit doubles, just get it up in the air. If nothing else he can bop 15 homers and the Reds can get something at the trade deadline.
8% think the Tigers will sign him. That would be the surprise of the decade. Detroit has too many others who will DH.
That many people voted for the Red Sox? They have more DHs than they know what to do with!
If he could still play outfield, those 66 votes would actually make sense. As a DH, not so much.
Towards the end of the season with the Mets, he looked cooked. Father time might have caught up with him…
Father Time is undefeated.
Nationals are a sleeper since they want to “contend” without actually spending money
Same with pirates
For some reason..I think Jumbo Dong is heading to Cinci
Time for this vampire to fly away.
Looking at that list of teams, not many teams need him…. Maybe with injuries during the year a team will reach out…DH is such an interchangeable spot, you can bring up a prospect from AAA, why bother with JD…
KC, Seattle, Cinci, Pittsburgh lead the list of teams that could use him at DH. Heck, I’d rather Cleveland had his bat for less money instead of Santana and put Manzardo at 1B.
All depends on what he’d settle for. Brandon Belt decided he’d rather sit than take less and not be treated well. JD may do the same, he’s earned enough.
Just to be clear, we are talking about JD Martinez, one of the best hitters in baseball?
Right. He had (past tense) a nice career.
But that part is over now.
If the underlying data to his lackluster season bore that out it might be easier to dismiss him but it does not. His .351 xwOBA puts him in the 86th percentile, his xSLG of .471 in the 87th. He may be done but given this some team should take a look.
r/whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh
Where’s the retire option?
Rockies should sign him. Bryant most likely is going to get hurt and if not still need time off to avoid getting hurt. Put J.D. in good platoon advantages, hope he posts some strong numbers, wait for a contender that is somewhat desperate, and flip him for a flier or two.
A place for mom.
The one franchise since their debut in Major League Baseball that could always find a spot for a pure DH
J.D. Martinez and his Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays
JD Martinez is not going to DH for the 2nd ranked on this poll Tigers. They have too many DHs. There’s no need for another RH hitter who can’t play the field.
Would make sense for pirates. As Mets fan I will say he was key to turnaround (one of) his June and July were great. Aug and Sept were bad tho
I wouldn’t mind seeing the Blue Jays take a flyer on him.
Too much for the cheapass Pohlads !
Somebody will have an injury and will need a right hand power hitter. I think he could still play in the field if needed. Probably could be signed pretty cheap for someone to take a chance.
Dodgers just cuz
As a long-time Red Sox fan, I can say with confidence that when you sign J.D., you actually get two things — his bat — and, that with all his experience, pitcher/game knowledge, his generosity and his incredible work ethic, he makes all the other hitters in the lineup better. J.D. is, one day, going to make an incredible hitting coach, if he chooses to go that route.
There shouldn’t be a comma before “rather” in the second paragraph.