Free agency isn’t at the forefront of mind for the New York Mets. With two days and up to three games left to play, earning a Wild Card spot is where the focus is.
The same goes for some particular players who for much of the last few weeks have failed to show up in big, medium, and small spots. These three upcoming Mets free agents have been virtually absent in September. Their stock is plummeting at the worst time for the team and their next contract.
1) J.D. Martinez
J.D. Martinez already had a tough time in his last two trips into free agency getting the kind of money his stats suggested he deserved. Settling for a one-year deal worth $10 million two winters ago to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, he ended up on a heavily deferred deal with the Mets for the 2024 season. Unfortunately for Martinez, now a year older, limited to DH duties, and a weak September will all combine to make him an undesirable free agent for many teams.
Re-signing Martinez never seemed all that possible for the Mets who only seemed to back into getting him on a discounted deal. By deferring the money, the hit of signing him counted less against the luxury tax thus giving them no choice but to upgrade the DH spot. For what we can only assume is a myriad of reasons, Martinez’s slow finish has completely taken away any thought of a new deal for 2025.
How many teams out there will be interested at all in a 37-year-old DH with decreasing power? Martinez did manage to have a couple of big hits for the Mets this season. His first career walk-off stands out as the peak.
Unbelievably watching games from the bench a whole lot more in the midst of a last stand by the Mets to make it to the postseason, fans aren’t too distressed to see the team look at alternatives. Martinez has committed arson against his next free agent contract.
The epic ongoing slump for Martinez has dropped his season totals to a .232/.317/.404 slash line. He hasn’t had a hit since September 9.