4 best MLB free agents Mets fans should fear signs with a rival this offseason

Either choose to join the Mets or another division.

Colorado Rockies v San Diego Padres
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NY Mets fans should fear the Miami Marlins signing J.D. Martinez this offseason

The Miami Marlins shouldn't scare Mets fans to the same extent teams like the Phillies and Braves do. Miami did make the playoffs this past season but were historically good in one-run games and had a -57 run differential. For comparisons sake, the Mets were at -12.

The reason Miami finished with such a poor run differential is because their offense was among the worst in the majors. Adding Luis Arraez helped, but Miami was still 26th in runs scored and 22nd in home runs. One way to help with that would be by adding a hitter like J.D. Martinez who bounced back in a big way with the Dodgers this past season.

Martinez struggled in 2022 to the point where he wasn't even traded at the deadline despite the Red Sox being out of it and Martinez reaching free agency at the end of the season. As many players tend to do, Martinez bounced back with the Dodgers and had an .893 OPS. Martinez hit 33 home runs with 103 RBI in just 113 games. The Marlins' RBI leader was Bryan De La Cruz who drove in 78 runs despite playing in 40 more games than Martinez. Their home run leader was Jorge Soler who is also a free agent.

The Marlins need offensive punch badly and Martinez is the second-best hitter available. They don't have Ohtani money at their disposal, but Miami can certainly give 36-year-old Martinez a two-year deal worth around $40 million. Martinez being a Miami native could help here as well. The Marlins need offense, and can't do better than J.D.

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