The Mets officially announced they signed J.D. Martinez to a one-year contract on Saturday.
The contract totals $12 million, but is broken out to benefit the Mets. Martinez’s base salary for the 2024 season is set at $2 million, and has $7.5 million deferred, which will be paid in $1.5 million installments from 2034-2038. He also received a $2.5 million signing bonus.
The Mets assigned Martinez to the minors and can’t be recalled for 10 days. This allows Martinez to get at-bats before joining the Mets in the majors.
Photo by Roberto Carlo
Carlos Mendoza spoke to the media on Saturday regarding Martinez, stating that the slugger will need at least 15 days to get ready for the 2024 season. This trajectory puts Martinez making his Mets’ debut against the Braves on April 8. Mendoza also stated he is giving up his No. 28 jersey to Martinez.
To make room for Martinez on the roster, the Mets designated Phil Bickford for assignment. Bickford had a 5.79 ERA with seven strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings this spring. He signed a one-year, $900,000 contract in the offseason with the Mets.
Bickford wasn’t the only roster move announced today. The Mets optioned Shintaro Fujinami and reassigned Austin Adams, according to Will Sammon of the Athletic.
Sammon also tweeted that the Mets informed Tomás Nido, Luke Voit, and Jose Iglesias they weren’t making the team. Voit and Iglesias were both signed to minor league deals in the offseason, while Nido is in the last year of his two-year, $3.7 million contract.
With the moves, the Mets stand at 31 players on the active roster. That leaves at least one more round of cuts left before Opening Day on March 28.
