J.D. Martinez
Position: Designated Hitter
Bats/Throws: R/R
Age: 35 (21/08/1987)
2022 Traditional Stats: 139 G, 596 PA, .274/.341/.448/.790, 16 HR, 62 RBI, 146 H
2022 Advanced Stats: 117 OPS+, 1.1 fWAR, 8.7% BB%, 24.3% K%, 41.8% HardH%, .345 BABIP, .174 ISO
Rundown
J.D. Martinez has built a career on taking the cover off the baseball. The 12-year veteran would be a perfect fit for any team in need of some pop in the middle of the lineup. The Mets were reportedly interested in trading for Martinez at the 2022 trade deadline given his prowess at the designated-hitter spot, coupled with his ability to put the ball in play and get on base.
Throughout his career Martinez has been able to hit moonshots while also establishing a reputation as an excellent contact hitter. That has been the case ever since he broke into the bigs with the Houston Astros in 2011, slashing .274/.319/.423 with 13 doubles, six homers, and 35 RBI in 53 games in 2011. After underlining his ability as a situational hitter in his first couple of years in the majors, Martinez really began to harness the power that he’s now famous for by hitting 23 home runs in 2014 with the Detroit Tigers, while also setting career-highs in doubles (30) and RBI (76).
Martinez’s career really began to take off at this point and he soon became a one-man wrecking ball in the Tigers lineup. The slugger really broke out in 2015, earning his first trip to the All-Star Game and also finishing 15th in American League MVP voting. He hit .282./344/.535 with 168 hits, 33 doubles, two triples, 38 homers and 102 RBI.
The righty was then traded to Arizona where he crushed 29 homers and 65 RBI in 62 games, before signing for the Boston Red Sox on a five-year, $110 million year deal. Already boasting a reputation as one of the best power hitters in the game, Martinez really propelled his career to a whole new level in Boston and cemented his legacy as a batter that could cause a lot of damage at the plate.
Immediately after arriving at Fenway Park, the masher put together a career year as he hit .330/.402/.629 with 43 home runs, 37 doubles, 69 walks and 130 RBI in 2018. That earned Martinez another trip to the All-Star Game as well as a Silver Slugger Award. He also finished fourth in AL MVP voting. Martinez was even better in the playoffs, hitting three homers with 14 RBI as the Red Sox beat the Dodgers to win the World Series.
Another monster season followed in 2019 as he blasted 36 homers, 33 doubles and 105 RBI to go along with a slash line of .304/.383/.557. Glossing over the COVID-19 shortened season in 2020, Martinez went to the All-Star Game in each of his final two seasons in Boston, recording 42 doubles in 2021 and 43 doubles in 2022 to further highlight his prowess as an all-around hitters who can hit for average as well as being able to hit for power.
Granted, the 35-year-old did endure a down year offensively in 2022, hitting just .233/.301/.400 after the All-Star break. He also hit just 16 home runs last year, down 12 from the year before, but he was still able to make things happen with a solid .341 on-base percentage. A fresh start in new surroundings may be what Martinez needs to enjoy a bounce back year in 2023 and get back to the huge bat that strikes fear into the heart of any opposing pitcher.
And, despite his second half struggles last year, Martinez ranked 10th in wRC+ (119) among designated hitters with a minimum of 400 PA in 2022. So, even with a regression in some of his stats, the five-time All-Star still ranked as one of the best designated hitters in baseball last year and there appears to be plenty left in the tank.
Contract
Boston opted not to take up the $19.6-million qualifying offer on Martinez, and he will now hit the open market this winter after a dominant five years with the Red Sox. There are a plethora of teams that need an accomplished designated hitter that can provide some pop from the middle of the lineup, and Martinez’s ability to hit for average, and get on base makes him a valuable commodity.
According to Spotrac.com, the veteran has a market value of $15,1 million and he’s projected to land a two-year, $30 million deal in free agency. There will be some doubts over Martinez given his sluggish end to the 2022 season, not to mention his advancing years, but the talent is still very much there and $30 million over two years for a player that can hit monster homers and drive in runs at a high rate is good business.
Recommendation
It is no secret that the Mets struggled to get much production from their designated hitters in 2022. Collectively, the position hit .218/.314/.371 with 183 strikeouts, 18 home runs, and 83 RBI. Daniel Vogelbach brought some improvement after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates prior to the trade deadline, but a lot more will be expected from the designated-hitter spot in 2023.
With the front office having exercised their option on Vogelbach for the 2023, general manager Billy Eppler should now go out and really bolster the position by signing Martinez and adding a big, big bat to the middle of the lineup. Yes, the veteran showed some regression in 2022 but the talent is clearly still there and a short-term deal would be worth the risk.
You need power and home runs to be able to win in the postseason and Martinez can provide both of them at a high rate. But he can also hit doubles for fun, he can get on base, he can put the ball in play via hard contact, and he’s hardly a one-dimensional bat. Plus, Martinez can mash against both lefties and nighties and he would make a good tandem with Vogelbach at the designated-hitter position. With Vogelbach sharing some of the load, it would allow Martinez more rest which would ensure he was fresh for down the stretch and during the most important time of the year. This lineup needs more pop and Martinez would provide exactly that in abundance.
