Which teams are best suitors for veteran DH?

Much of the offseason focus remains on the so-called “Boras four”: Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery and Matt Chapman — all of whom remain unsigned into spring training. One other player from MLBTR’s top 20 free agents has yet to put pen to paper. J.D. Martinez doesn’t have the earning power of his aforementioned younger counterparts, but he’s another Boras Corporation client coming off an excellent platform year.

Martinez was always going to face some market limitations. He’s 36 years old and has started one game on defense over the past two seasons. Some teams won’t want to commit to an aging designated hitter. Still, there’s a strong case that Martinez is the best unsigned offensive player. Much of Bellinger’s and Chapman’s value lies in their defense. Teams that want a short-term boost to the middle of their lineup could look to Martinez.

Which clubs still make sense as a landing spot?

Strongest Fits

Angels: The Halos aren’t going to replace Shohei Ohtani’s production at DH, but Martinez is the closest remaining approximation. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic has written that the Angels aren’t keen on bringing in a full-time designated hitter, reasoning that Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon might be better served rotating through the position to stay healthy. On the other hand, Aaron Hicks is so far the only addition to a lineup that was merely average despite an MVP season from Ohtani. It’s hard to reconcile that lack of activity with claims from GM Perry Minasian and owner Arte Moreno that the team hopes to compete in 2024.

Mets: Martinez has been most frequently tied to the Mets throughout the winter. The New York Post’s Mike Puma reported that the sides remained in contact a few weeks ago. Will Sammon of the Athletic has characterized those discussions as due diligence, writing that New York is likelier to turn to 24-year-old Mark Vientos to gauge whether he can be a part of a contending lineup in 2025 and beyond? It doesn’t seem the door is completely closed, but the Mets are at least waiting to see if the asking price falls.

Longer Shot Possibilities

Cubs: It’d be a surprise if Martinez is the remaining free agent the Cubs grab. Chicago has been tied far more often to Bellinger and Chapman, both of whom are cleaner fits on the roster. If the Cubs feel Christopher Morel and Michael Buschcan hold their own on the infield corners, that theoretically opens DH. It’d leave the coaching staff without much defensive flexibility, though. Boras and Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts traded barbs on Monday after Ricketts was asked about Bellinger, although there’s nothing to suggest that’ll stop Chicago from engaging on any of Boras’ clients.

Guardians: If Martinez’s long stay on the open market drops his asking price, the Guardians could be opportunistic. They’ve taken shots at first base/DH types before, bringing in Edwin Encarnación and Josh Bell in free agency. Last winter’s Bell signing didn’t work, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t have more success with Martinez. Cleveland has Josh Naylor and highly-regarded prospect Kyle Manzardoas the likely first base/DH tandem. Manzardo, acquired in last summer’s trade of Aaron Civale to Tampa Bay, has yet to make his MLB debut. If Martinez takes a one-year deal in a similar price range as last year’s $10M guarantee, there’s a case for Cleveland to jump in and keep Manzardo in Triple-A for another season.

Padres: As with a couple of other teams in this tier, the biggest question for San Diego is their spending capacity. The Padres have at least one outfield vacancy and want to stabilize the back of the rotation. They’re projected roughly $20M south of the luxury tax threshold and reportedly plan to remain below that line. That still leaves the possibility of adding Martinez, but he’d likely account for at least half of their remaining CBT space. With multiple areas to address (and a desire to leave some payroll space for midseason help), going big on a DH is a tough fit.

Red Sox: On paper, there’s a fit for Boston bringing Martinez back. They were loosely tied to similar players in Teoscar Hernández and Jorge Soler. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has been open about wanting another right-handed bat. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo downplayed the fit earlier this month, though, writing that Martinez’s “unique methods weren’t universally loved within the walls of Boston’s clubhouse” during his first stint.

Twins: If Martinez’s market drops far enough, perhaps Minnesota could jump in. The Twins were middle-of-the-pack in production against left-handed pitching a year ago. They added Carlos Santana on a $5.25M deal to split time with Alex Kirilloff between first base and DH. Martinez is a much better hitter than Santana, though, so there’s a case for kicking the latter to the bench. The bigger obstacle might be Byron Buxton. He’s moving back to center field after knee injuries kept him to DH work for 2023. Would the Twins be confident enough in Buxton holding up physically to sign a DH? After opening the winter, they have a projected payroll in the $124M range with a reported spending target between $125-140M.

Already Addressed DH

Several teams that could’ve been suitors for Martinez have gone elsewhere to add a starting designated hitter. The Dodgers (Ohtani), Blue Jays (Justin Turner), Giants (Soler), Mariners (Mitch Garver), and Diamondbacks (Joc Pederson) all once made sense but are more difficult fits now.

The Pirates never seemed likely to meet Martinez’s asking price and re-signed Andrew McCutchen. Milwaukee’s signing of Rhys Hoskins was more of a direct addition at first base, but he’s also a right-handed hitter without much defensive flexibility. The Brewers have a handful of outfielders who could push Christian Yelich to DH at times and also agreed to terms with Gary Sánchez on a one-year deal as a backup catcher/DH option. (Milwaukee still hasn’t announced the Sánchez contract nearly two weeks after it was first reported.)

In-House DH

The Phillies (Kyle Schwarber), Braves (Marcell Ozuna), and Astros (Yordan Alvarez) all have clear starters. The Orioles, Cardinals, Reds and Rays don’t have a set DH but have plenty of options who could rotate through the position. The Yankees could theoretically pursue Martinez and move Giancarlo Stanton to the bench. It’s hard to see that happening given the amount of money still owed to Stanton and the 110% tax they’d need to pay on top of Martinez’s salary. The Royals signed Hunter Renfroe to take a corner outfield spot and probably want to give MJ Melendez and Nelson Velázquez a regular run between left field and DH.

Unlikely To Add

A few teams have theoretical openings at DH but have declared they’re unlikely to make any more notable acquisitions this offseason. Tigers GM Scott Harris said last week that the team doesn’t have “a ton of at-bats available for another everyday-type bat.” They’ll likely turn to Kerry Carpenter as the primary DH.

The Rangers lost Garver in free agency but seem up against their spending limit. Last year’s No. 4 overall pick, Wyatt Langford, isn’t far off the majors. Texas could rotate a handful of players through DH if they want Langford to get more seasoning in Triple-A. The Nationals haven’t done much this winter and could incorporate another bat. However, GM Mike Rizzo declared their offseason finished last week. Martinez might prioritize a more obvious contender anyhow.

Competitive Window/Payroll Questions

The White Sox, A’s and Rockies will not compete for a playoff spot in 2024. Of that trio, only Oakland has completely embraced a rebuild. However, Chicago and Colorado aren’t aggressively adding, and Martinez probably doesn’t want to sign with a clear non-contender at this stage of his career.

Miami lost Soler and hasn’t acquired a new DH. The Marlins haven’t brought in a major league free agent at all. It’s a disappointing offseason for the fanbase coming off a surprising wild-card berth. Given their dearth of activity, it’s hard to imagine they bring in Martinez, even if he’d be a fairly direct replacement for their biggest offseason departure.