Former Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter J.D. Martinez is taking a role in the New York Mets front office, signaling an end to his playing days.
Martinez played for the Dodgers in 2023, totaling 113 games and hitting a total of 33 home runs after going through a down year in 2022 with the Boston Red Sox.
He ended up being another example of a player trending downward with a team, then joining the Dodgers and finding considerable success.
The righty ended up building a strong relationship with Mookie Betts, whom he played with on the Red Sox before his stint with the Dodgers, though he signed with the new Mets after his resurgence, spending the 2024 season with the New York team.
Now, in the aftermath of his baseball career, Martinez is seemingly pivoting to a front-office role, despite no official retirement news from the slugger.
The Dodgers are known for offering roles to former players whom the team values, making Martinez a potential fit if he were interested, but it is the Mets who are taking him on board, giving him an advisory role, per Tim Healy of The Boston Globe.
Martinez will be around the clubhouse, helping players on the field and helping them, likely as a hitting coach of sorts.
Martinez’s history with Mookie Betts
During an appearance on “Dodger Talk” with David Vassegh, Martinez revealed that he traveled with Betts to help him break out of his 2025 slump, which lasted pretty much all year as he battled with injury concerns.
“I mean, me and Mook go way back, so for him, I definitely made the exception of coming out and going out there and spending a weekend with him and trying to get him back on track,” Martinez said.
“It was fun. We did it a few times. I did it in LA, too. I mean, I think we built a lot of trust. He trusts me.
“He values my opinion on everything, and from there, it was kind of one of those things where we just, we work well together. I feel like I just have a really good understanding of his swing and his mind.
“I feel like I just have a really good understanding of his swing and his mind. Mookie’s, you know, unbelievable talent as everybody knows. It’s just, sometimes this game, it just derails you sometimes, and you need someone to lock it back in.”
