Oh boy, the baseball world’s buzzing again. J.D. Martinez just inked a deal with the New York Mets. But, hold your horses; he won’t be swinging bats in the big league come March 28. Nope. Instead, he’s heading down to the minors. Why, you ask? Well, the dude missed almost all of the exhibition season. Needs to dust off some cobwebs, you know?
So, here’s the deal. Even though Martinez is a seasoned player with over 12 years under his belt, he’s gotta agree to this minor league stint. It’s all about getting back in the groove with some live pitching. Rules are rules, and they say he’s gotta stay there for at least 10 days. That means the earliest we’ll see him with the Mets is April 7.
Last season, Martinez was with the Los Angeles Dodgers. And man, did he deliver. We’re talking a .271 batting average, 33 homers, and 103 RBIs. Not too shabby, right? The guy racked up an estimated 1.9 Wins Above Replacement. Plus, he’s a six-time All-Star. Clearly, he’s not ready to hang up his cleats just yet.
But here’s a juicy tidbit. Martinez was eyeing his options carefully. He turned down the San Francisco Giants. Why? Oracle Park’s a tough place for hitters. He figured if his stats took a dive there, folks would start saying he’s past his prime. “If I go there and I hit .260 with 20 [home runs],” he told MLB.com, “people are going to say that I’m old and I’m washed up.” He’s aiming to keep his game strong, not get benched.
Jon Heyman spilled the beans back in February. Martinez didn’t see the Giants as a good fit. Instead, Jorge Soler ended up taking that spot as their DH.
And get this, Oracle Park’s pretty brutal for right-handed hitters. Statcast ranks it as the fourth-worst. But Citi Field? It’s a bit more forgiving, sitting at 21st. Seems like Martinez might have made a savvy move after all.
