MLB free agency 2017: 5 best spots for J.D. Martinez
Outfielder J.D. Martinez is the number-one bat available this offseason; which teams should be pushing hard to sign him?
No player enters free agency this winter coming off a hotter finish than right fielder J.D. Martinez. Down the stretch, he nearly matched Giancarlo Stanton homer-for-homer. A late start to the year limited the 30-year-old to only 119 games, but he hit 45 home runs in a mere 432 at-bats.
Over the past four seasons, few players have been able to match Martinez’s production when he has been on the field. The Houston Astros castoff has hit .300/.362/.574 with 128 home runs and 350 RBI since becoming a regular with the Detroit Tigers in 2014.
The only way to describe what Martinez did with the Arizona Diamondbacks after a midseason trade this year is epic. He played only 62 games for Arizona, but hit .302/.366/.741 with 13 doubles, 29 home runs and 65 RBI. Martinez then proceeded to hit .364 with a home run in the NLDS.
Martinez is the biggest impact bat available this winter, and he should command at least a six-year deal in the neighborhood of $150 million. He has youth on his side to help make a case for a deal that large, but has had some minor injuries the past two seasons. Defense is also an issue for Martinez, and his future is at DH for an American League team. Would a National League team be willing to take a chance on him in right field for the next three or four seasons and hope to flip him to an American League team when the time comes? His bat is good enough that most teams can overlook his negative defense. The whole league should want J.D. Martinez, but these five teams make the most sense.
5. San Francisco Giants
Without a doubt, the San Francisco Giants were the league’s most disappointing team in 2017. They were headed in the wrong direction even before ace Madison Bumgarner wrecked his dirt bike. Pricey free agent closer Mark Melancon blew a save on Opening Day, which was a sign of things to come.
The Giants could not overcome a mediocre starting rotation that failed to pick up the slack in Bumgarner’s absence. They’ll need Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija to bounce back in 2018 to have a chance.
Pitching was an issue for the Giants in their 98-loss season, but the offense also has to take a ton of the blame. The team hit only .249/.309/.380 and was last in the NL in home runs and OPS and 14th in runs. Even during their World Series years, the Giants did not have a powerful lineup. They were just solid and scrappy enough to support strong rotations. A powerful corner outfielder like J.D. Martinez would go a long way to filling a gaping hole in the Giants lineup.
Martinez will most likely end up back in the American League as expecting him to play the field for another five or six years feels like a push. Out of all the NL teams — besides the Diamondbacks — who could have interest in Martinez, the Giants make the most sense. The St. Louis Cardinals may also enter the bidding if they cannot woo Eric Hosmer or Mike Moustakas.