Spring Training is in full swing, but the Mets roster still needs to be tinkered before Opening Day.
One position that has yet to be set in stone for the blue and orange is designated hitter.
The Mets already have some players on the roster who could get reps, but they could still sign a former all-star to play the position.
The Mets could sign J.D. Martinez
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Mets are “still in the mix” to sign six-time all-star J.D. Martinez.
Martinez is coming off a stellar season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, in which he slashed .271/.321/.572 with 33 home runs and 103 RBIs and had a stellar 134 OPS+.
The Florida native has hit over 300 home runs in his career, won three silver sluggers and helped lead the Boston Red Sox to a 2018 World Series title.
Why does Martinez make sense for the Mets?
Since the universal designated hitter rule was enacted before the 2022 campaign, the Mets have produced less from the position than any other team.
The blue and orange have had two primary designated hitters during that time, Darin Ruf and Daniel Vogelbach, while Buck Showalter patched the position together during their absences. Still, regardless of who was taking the at-bats, the position lacked production.
New manager Carlos Mendoza has two primary contenders to DH in 2024: Ji-Man Choi and Luke Voit.
Choi struggled appearing in 39 games for the San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates last season, slashing .163/.239/.385 with six home runs and 13 RBIs.
Last year may have been an outlier, as through 525 career games, Choi has performed much better, slashing .234/.338/.426 with 67 home runs and 238 RBIs while having a .764 OPS.
In 2023, for the Brewers, Voit slashed .221/.284/.265 with no home runs and four RBIs across 22 games.
Martinez would immediately give the Mets a certified designated hitter who has produced for years at the position.
The 36-year-old likely would not command more than a one-year deal, which, if the blue and orange struggle once again, would make Martinez an excellent trade chip at the deadline and certainly bring in some more prospects to a farm system that is still being rejuvenated.
Martinez and the Mets seem like a perfect match, but time will tell whether a deal will come to fruition.