Depending on your point of view, the Mets either reversed course or kept on the path, as they signed J.D. Martinez to a 1/$12 deal to be the team’s designated hitter. We heard rumors of the Mets signing Martinez and it’s not hard to imagine that Martinez backed off some on his initial demands. The hope is he stays healthy enough to play in more than the 113 games he appeared with the Dodgers last season.
David Stearns had talked about how young guys needed a chance to play, presumably with Mark Vientos getting that chance at DH here in 2024. Now, it’s an open question if Vientos will even make the team’s Opening Day roster. He’s had an okay Spring but it was underwhelming enough to make Martinez an attractive option for the team.
And with the one-year deal, it’s a continuation of Stearns’ approach of not adding future payroll to the 2025 and 2026 seasons. And it makes the talk of aiming for a playoff spot this year seem more real.
Hopefully Martinez has worked out a bunch while he was waiting to sign a contract. There’s only a handful of games for him to get his swing ready until the games start for real.
Reports are that he was at Driveline.
G’bye Mr Vientos. Anybody think he is going to hit 30 zHRs?
Great addition! I still think Vientos makes the team as a bench piece, platoon partner for Baty at 3b, offers an occasional rest day for Pete at 1B, and probably gets 200-220 ABs DHing still. This also provides offensive protection in case Marte really is done.
I really like the signing. Martinez really fits nicely into the lineup. I also like the 12m one year deal.
The Mets may surprise in a good way this year.
Marte might be toast. If he is, they should cut him. Let Taylor play right field.
They can give Taylor the starts without cutting Marte. If they cut Marte then who is the 4th OF? They don’t have one.
Still think they sign a 5th OFer that gets cut..
Great signing. Just what they needed.
JD Martinez is an upgrade to Vientos at DH and improves their playoffs chances. The structuring of the contract makes it a savy move.
Well. it’s obvious that Vientos had his chance to become the DH, but he blew it with his poor Spring. The only thing he and Martinez have in common is a high K rate, but Martinez is a proven ML DH’er. BoomBoom may be right re: Vientos’s role for 2024, at least it makes sense. Don’t think he’ll be playing any 3B though, with Wendle and/or Short available.
So does this mean no Choi or Stewart? I hope so.
I still think Marte will be the Cano of 2024 and will be gone before May.
You’re being too harsh on Vientos. This had less to do with Vientos’ spring, and more to do with opportunity. The Mets have been monitoring and connected to JD for months now. They had a maximum price they would play, his price came down to the level. As recently as late Feb, JDM turned down a $14m offer from SF. Ruomors are that he was reportedly seeking either a 2-year deal at that level, or something closer to $20m for a year.
Vientos’ spring performance had flaws. But with 4 HRs to lead the team and a .725 OPS, was his spring really that poor? For three weeks he outhit Baty. Y
And he hit a homerun in his first at bat today following the news so…
He’s probably gonna have the DH spot all to himself the first 10 games of the season and make a case to stick around. Maybe someone gets hurt. Maybe he starts 3x a week between 1B, 3B, and DH. Maybe he spends a year sitting next to JD on the bench, hopefully soaking in the wisdom and is really ready to take over the DH role in 25.
Agreed. And even if he gets optioned, its not the end of his season. There will be injuries. There are marginal players who might perform poorly.
Let Marte hit seventh and give him a few months. Losing a year at 35 years old will make it harder to get back, but not impossible. He is worth waiting on.
JDM? Sorry, Mark, you should have run with it.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid036dRhXTuzvgKiFRiCybFsCZKUa7s2yGE236Cs2yGvLiSUZLSCfPKLzSWLsXxiLy8bl&id=829505579&mibextid=SphRi8
This would be my basic lineup now:
Brandon Nimmo, LF (L)
Francisco Lindor, SS (S)
Jeff McNeil, 2B (L)
Pete Alonso, 1B (R)
J.D. Martinez, DH (R)
Francisco Álvarez, C (R)
Brett Baty, 3B (L)
Starling Marte, RF (R)
Harrison Bader, CF (R)
Jon Heyman reports that JDM has given his consent to open the season in the minors, and will likely spend ten days there before being added to the 26-man.