The New York Mets have been one of Major League Baseball’s busiest teams this offseason. They signed Juan Soto, retained Pete Alonso and added several pitchers.
They might not be done just yet, as free agency has now stretched into spring training. But not everybody from their 2024 team will be back in 2025.
One player in particular that has likely played his last game with the Mets is six-time All-Star and slugger J.D. Martinez. Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report predicts that the veteran will ultimately leave for the Tampa Bay Rays.
“Martinez’s numbers from 2024 with the New York Mets don’t look great, but he did still mash left-handed pitching. In 138 plate appearances against left-handed pitching last season, Martinez posted an .836 OPS. For a team looking for a veteran clubhouse presence who can get a bulk of their DH at-bats, specifically the ones against left-handed pitching, Martinez fits,” Kelly wrote.
Martinez hit just .235 in 2024 with the Mets and had an underwhelming .725 OPS. He even saw his power numbers take a bit of a hit, as he went from 37 homers in 2023 to 16 last year.
However, he still did drive in 69 runs and was for the most part productive as a member of the Mets, playing a key role in getting the team to the National League Championship Series.
He also isn’t too far removed from a strong 2023 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, so even at 37, the three-time Silver Slugger and 2018 World Series champion could find a way to bounce back and regain his form.
Because Alonso is back, the Mets don’t exactly have a spot for Martinez anymore, so it’s likely that he’ll move on to another team and serve as a veteran presence there.
We’ll see what comes next for Martinez.
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