Mets' Martinez blames teams 'not trying to win' for slow offseason

New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez has a diagnosis of why so many players struggled to find contracts this offseason.

"It almost feels like there's more teams out there not trying to win than teams that are trying to win," Martinez said Saturday, according to Newsday's Tim Healey.

The 36-year-old signed a one-year contract reportedly worth $12 million earlier this week. He put up a 135 wRC+ with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.

Martinez is among a handful of notable players who had to wait until well into the offseason before signing new contracts. 2023 NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell settled for a two-year, $62-million contract with the San Francisco Giants after failing to find the long-term deal he sought in free agency. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery is still unsigned despite helping the Texas Rangers win the World Series last season.