MLB Rumors: Ex-Red Sox Slugger Has Mutual Interest With NL East Team
J.D. Martinez is still a productive right-handed hitter
J.D. Martinez played the waiting game two seasons ago before re-signing with the Boston Red Sox in late February.
And the former Red Sox designated hitter is playing that game again, but an end could finally be in sight for Martinez with the start of the MLB season just over two weeks away.
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported Tuesday that Martinez and the New York Mets have a mutual interest. Heyman added that Mets owner Steve Cohen gave the organization the green light to sign Martinez despite New York having to pay a 110% tax on any new deals due to the wild spending spree the franchise went on last season.
Martinez would be a fit for the Mets as lineup protection for star first baseman Pete Alonso. While New York seems to have gained ground on potentially signing Martinez, there are still a couple of other teams linked to the aging right-handed hitter.
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The Los Angeles Angels and Miami Marlins have shown interest in adding Martinez, per Heyman. The San Francisco Giants also made a bid for Martinez earlier this offseason, but were turned down.
“Martinez, who made $10 million last year, declined a bigger offer from the Giants earlier this spring, and word is that one big reason was the Giants’ extreme pitchers’ park,” Heyman wrote.
Martinez, 36, still had a very productive campaign with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. He earned All-Star honors for the sixth time in his career and finished the season batting .271 with 33 home runs and 103 RBIs.
But the Dodgers decided to make the biggest splash of the offseason and sign Shohei Ohtani, who will take over in Martinez’s spot as Los Angeles’ designated hitter.
That’s left Martinez searching for a new MLB home and it seems like coming back to the East Coast and joining the Mets is his best option with not much time to spare before games begin for real.
