Mets free agent face-off: Justin Turner vs. J.D. Martinez

Recent New York Mets rumors have linked the club to both Justin Turner and J.D. Martinez as possible DH solutions. Who'd be a better match for the Mets? You probably already have your own opinion on this, but like a grocery list or feelings, it sometimes helps to write it out.

Maybe by talking it out we can finally unite Mets fans on something. Would you believe some think Jacob deGrom had a better Mets career than Tom Seaver? There’s just no agreeing with some people.

The pros of signing Justin Turner

The need to sign Turner changed completely when Ronny Mauricio got hurt in the Winter League. Prior to this, Turner didn't make quite as much sense as a DH and occasional third baseman. Now he's one of the best available free agents for the Mets to possibly add in terms of talent and what he can offer.

Turner is coming off of a strong season with the Boston Red Sox. He slashed .276/.346/.455 with 23 home runs and 96 RBI.

With Turner, the Mets add a player with extensive playoff experience and some fading yet still existent versatility. Perhaps no longer much of a defensive player, he can at least provide them with protection at third base if Brett Baty gets hurt or is unplayable.

The cons of signing Justin Turner

Already 39, there’s always the risk of Turner falling off a cliff next season. He struck out a career-high 110 times last season but it did come with another career-best, those 96 RBI. It’s a fair enough trade-off.

Turner somehow managed to have more plate appearances than ever last year. We can thank locking up many of his appearances as the DH as the reason for it. Choosing him as the emergency third baseman comes with the risk of having a butcher in the field at the position for a couple of innings each night.

Turner is a short yet expensive commitment to make. The signs of healthiness were there last year, but would running him out defensively more frequently cause his sage to catch up?