Dodgers Rumors: LA Interested in Reunion with JD Martinez But There’s a Catch
The MLB offseason is officially underway, and the Dodgers have a lot of work to do. They were embarrassed in the postseason once again, and they want to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.
There were plenty of positives from the 2023 season, and it showed that LA could keep up with the rest of the league even in a “step-back” year. Their offense set all sorts of records, and they had strong performances from multiple players.
One of the more productive guys for the Dodgers last season was slugger J.D. Martinez. He signed with the team in the offseason on a very team-friendly contract of just $10 million in order to boost his value across the league.
Martinez did that and more for the Dodgers last season, and now he heads into free agency ready to cash in. It remains to be seen what kind of contract he will get on the open market, but the Dodgers decided to not offer him a qualifying offer.
They are interested in bringing him back to the team, but there is one roadblock in the way. That would be their pursuit of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani since the two would play the same position.
The Dodgers have been planning to go after Ohtani for a long time, and they aren’t going to let anything get in the way of that. Martinez is viewed as a backup option if they can’t land Ohtani, but they also risk him signing with someone else by that time.
Even with the risk, this is the correct way to go about things for the Dodgers. Ohtani is the big fish that they have to make a run at, and if for some reason they can’t land him, they can pivot from there.
Martinez was great for the Dodgers, but he isn’t on the same level as Ohtani. This will be something to continue to monitor as the offseason continues, and hopefully, we can find out soon who will be the Dodgers designated hitter next year.
Should the Dodgers bring back Martinez? Or go on an aggressive push to land Ohtani? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
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Photo Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
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Resign Martinez, go after Yamamoto and another pitcher, and sign Soto next year.
Works for me
Great thought Vince since Ohtani can’t pitch for at least another year by then the healthier and younger pitchers will be making a solid run.
Ohtani 2024. Some pitching help needed, too. Soto 2025.
It’s a no brainier. Go after Ohtani who is a 2 for 1 type player as a pitcher and a fielder. His production on both sides, pitcher and hitter is unprecedented at the MLB level. Plus the revenue that will be generated by the Dodgers signing him.
He is a hitter but not a fielder.
What makes you think he will be the pitcher he was before the surgery? I doubt he will ever be what he once was and we don’t a $500 million DH. and we have suffered through a parade of injured pitchers over the past several years that cost the team a fortune and then could never deliver the goods as they once did. Start thinking about Buehler, May, Kershaw, Gonsolin,…….
What the team needs to do is ante up the bucks for proven, injury-free, and healthy starting pitchers. Enough already with the “project”, “maybe they will come back to form” pitchers we constantly experience.
What did Ohtani do for the angles and they had a pretty good team with Trout and the other ‘s I don’t see why they would want to invest so much money in one player when they have so many other needs they have a good hitting team as it is
I agree. How many times have the Angels made it to the post season with both Ohtani and Trout? I The Dodgers should sign JD, a corner outfielder and spend their money on starting pitching.
Totally agree!!!
Martínez and OHTANI both! They got money here in LA
Once he’s pitching again, then gets injured, you’ll need a pitcher AND a DH to replace him
Why spend the shop on Ohtani? I’ve never seen a player single handedly carry a team. Resign J.D. Martinez and add 2 starting ptchers.
The Dodgers shouldn’t spend a half billion dollars for a designated hitter. They need a DH, re-sign Martinez. They need a corner outfielder, re-sign Heyward. They need starting pitching, sign Snell and Nola. They would still have enough money to re-sign Hernandez too.
The best comment, I have said the same thing ?
Exactly. Best deal.
Works for me
Just can’t see spending 50-100 million on a designated hitter who can’t pitch until 2025, and how well will he pitch after surgery, and how long will it take to find out, and how long until he is back to full production, if he makes it all the way back. How many front line pitchers can you get for 50-100 million, and still have enough left for J D Martinez?
$50 to $100 million to sign Ohtani? That would be a bargain. Ohtani before surgery stood to make between $500 and $600 million, or half a billion dollars. Snell and Nola could be signed for 8 years at $225 million each, which would leave over $100 million to sign Martinez and Heyward to one year contacts at $15 – $20 million each, and Hernandez at $25 million for two years. They’d still be under the budget set aside for Ohtani.
They should not throw all that money at the Angels superstar DH/Pitcher Ohtani. Resign JD to a team friendly deal, bring in a stud pitcher and run it back next season.
No way I’m giving no player that type of money the dodgers can get Snell and Nola JD keke’ maybe even a reunion with JT and run it back …
Understand the seats will always have butts in the . We are the LA Dodgers
The Dodgers should pursue that other pitcher from Japan and resign JD probably for less money. Otani will be an overpaid albatross. Spending that much money for one dude makes NO sense.
Agreed, for that value, go after a solid 2-3 starters and rebuild the rotation. The incremental marginal difference in production from DJ compared to Otani isn’t worth the premium and better spent where the gapping holes are right now.
Right three front line pitchers and 3 base
Resign J.D. He has proven to be worth way more than he was paid. Ohtani can’t even pitch until 2025 and who knows if he’ll be able to return at the same level he was before surgery. The Dodgers need pitching now not in 2025. It’s a no brained.