It’s Opening Day and these 4 former NY Mets players are still free agents

Baseball's back, but these former Mets are still without a place to play.
ByJosh Mayer|
Championship Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v New York Mets - Game 3
Championship Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v New York Mets - Game 3 | Jim McIsaac/GettyImages
1 of 4

Baseball is back! As the first stretch of games begins, you might notice some familiar faces in new places - former New York Mets that have signed elsewhere or have been moved in the offseason. However, there are a few notable former Mets out there that haven't yet signed with a team. Let's take a look at some of them.

1) J.D. Martinez - DH

A 14-year veteran, J.D. Martinez continued his illustrious career after signing a one-year contract with the Mets last offseason. A six-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger, he seemed to be a perfect match for a team in dire need of an experienced slugger for the DH position. In 120 games, Martinez slashed .235/.320/.406, not exactly up to par in comparison to the rest of his career. Mets fans knew it was a possibility that age would catch up with the 36-year-old, and that's exactly what seemed to happen.

As the season went on, Martinez seemed more like an offensive liability that was holding the team back than the power hitter they had originally signed. In the second half, he slashed just .199/.282/.340, and in the playoffs his OPS was just .639. It was clear that the J.D. Martinez the Mets got was not the same guy who put up a 1.031 OPS for the championship Boston Red Sox in 2018, or even the guy who put up a .893 OPS for the Dodgers in 2023.

After his 2024 season with the Mets, Martinez received virtually zero offseason interest from any teams. As the season begins, he's still on the market. It's very possible he signs with a team needing an extra bat at some point during the season, but for now, he is yet to find a home.

Schedule