JD Martinez Reveals Why He Didn’t Sign With Dodgers’ Rival Giants in Free Agency
After a long wait this offseason, former Dodgers designated hitter J.D. Martinez finally found himself a home for 2024. He agreed to a one-year, $12 million deal with the New York Mets.
The deal is heavily deferred, with Martinez only receiving $4.5 million for the upcoming season. He will be paid out $1.5 million annually from 2034-38.
It’s a steal of a contract for the Mets and one that Martinez likely never expected to sign entering the winter. After a very successful year with the Dodgers, Martinez was looking for a multi-year deal. He hit .271 with 33 home runs and 103 runs batted in over 113 games for Los Angeles.
It was reported that he did turn down a higher offer from the rival San Francisco Giants that was for one-year, $15 million. Martinez finally opened up about why he turned down the deal from San Francisco.
His main reason was Oracle Park not being very hitter-friendly. This isn’t the first time this offseason that we have heard players may not want to play in the Giants’ ballpark. It was reported that Shohei Ohtani wasn’t a big fan of Oracle either.
The Dodgers are glad that Martinez didn’t go up north, as he would have given them more credibility within the lineup. While his going to New York only strengthens the Mets, it’s a solid landing spot for someone who made an impact on the team in just one season.
He helped Los Angeles build a historic offense last season and was one of the few players who showed up in the postseason. Martinez will be missed within the Dodgers lineup, but with Ohtani in the mix now, there shouldn’t be any major dropoff.
Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, livestreams, and more!
