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J.D. Martinez Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Mets players have huge reactions to addition of six-time All-Star

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 3/22/24

The New York Mets have had a relatively quiet offseason while seeing divisional rivals like the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies only get better.

Mets owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns made arguably their biggest splash on Thursday night though, one week ahead of Opening Day.

Designated hitter J.D. Martinez signed a one-year, $12M deal with New York, giving the team another right-handed power bat to join two-time Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso.

The All-Star first baseman was among many Mets players praising the addition of Martinez on Friday morning.

J.D. Martinez has several ex-teammates in the Mets' clubhouse. They were raving this morning about his professionalism.

"It's unreal," Jake Diekman said. "He's the smartest hitter ever."

Adam Ottavino: "He's just one of the most dedicated hitters you'll ever see to his craft."
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 22, 2024

Pete Alonso spoke glowingly of the Mets’ addition of J.D. Martinez, a “hitting savant” who likes to fish and hit, just like him.

“Huge shout out to David [Stearns] and Steve [Cohen],” he said. “It’s a huge message to the guys in the clubhouse.”
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) March 22, 2024

New York will be the 36-year-old's sixth stop in the majors since debuting with the Houston Astros in 2011.

After earning sparse playing time with the Astros from 2011-13, Martinez was released by the organization in March 2014 and quickly picked up by the Detroit Tigers. Martinez had a full breakout season during the 2015 campaign, recording 38 home runs 102 RBI and a .282/.344/.535 slash line over a career-high 596 at-bats and 158 games to earn his first All-Star and Silver Slugger honors.

His numbers dropped in 2016 before returning to form in 2017, posting a career-best 45 home runs and .690 slugging percentage, as well as 104 RBI in a split season between the Tigers and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Martinez signed with the Boston Red Sox in February 2018 and immediately had the best season of his career.

The former 20th-round draft pick set career highs during his first season in Boston with an MLB-leading 130 RBI and 358 total bases. Martinez also set high marks in runs scored (111), hits (188), batting average (.330) and on-base percentage (.402) to earn his second All-Star team and win his second Silver Slugger award.

The slugger also finished fourth in the AL MVP voting and helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series title.

Martinez stayed in Beantown through the 2022 campaign — making his third, fourth and fifth All-Star squads in 2019, 2021 and 2022 — before the team allowed him to walk two winters ago and sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After a relatively down 2022 season — despite the All-Star berth — he powered up again in 2023, registering his most home runs (33) and RBI (103) since 2019.

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