One of the remaining veteran sluggers on the MLB free agent market has found a new home.
J.D. Martinez is joining the New York Mets on a one-year deal worth $12 million, according to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman.
SNY’s Andy Martino adds that the contract will have heavy deferrals. The Mets will only pay $4.5 million of that total this season. The rest will be paid out from 2034-38, when Martinez will make $1.5 million each year.
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The Mets are infamously known for the deferral of Bobby Bonilla’s contract, but many teams across professional sports use deals like this to help their finances. And that’s exactly what the Mets are doing here to reduce their luxury tax this season.
Martinez, 36, is another Scott Boras client who didn’t find a team in time to report to spring training with the rest of the league.
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He was trying to find the right situation at the right price, but teams weren’t budging despite the slugger earning his sixth All-Star nod after belting 33 homers with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023.
New York was looking for some more pop to add to its lineup with Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso.
Martinez had a great year last season with a .271/.321/.572 slash line and 27 doubles.
Martinez started his career with the Houston Astros before earning his first All-Star appearance with the Detroit Tigers in 2015, when he hit 38 homers with 102 RBIs and a .282 average.
But Martinez’s best years came with the Boston Red Sox, a team he helped win the 2018 World Series. He led the team that year with 130 RBIs, which also led MLB. He hit .330/.402/.629 with 43 homers and finished fourth in AL MVP voting.
Martinez’s knack for hitting extra-base hits and his postseason pedigree make him a valuable asset for a Mets team that fell short of expectations in 2023.
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