3 teams that could actually pay $200M for J.D. Martinez
J.D. Martinez is apparently looking to cash in big.
Major League Baseball's free-agency period has been open for all of a week, and the hot stove began to sizzle Wednesday when a rumor concerning the most sought-after run-producer on the open market surfaced.
Teams that have reached out to agent Scott Boras about Martinez were apparently given the impression the slugger is looking for a contract in the $200-million range.
So, with Martinez's price tag apparently very steep, there aren't many teams with the funds available to pay the 30-year-old what he wants, but here are three that might open their wallets to land him.
Philadelphia Phillies
No team in baseball is better positioned to spend big this offseason than the Phillies, who have all of $6.35 million in payroll committed for 2018. That number will increase when arbitration figures are included, but if Philadelphia wants to make a run at Martinez, it has the financial ammunition to do so. The Phillies are presumably saving much of their cash for the promising free-agent market in 2019 that includes Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, but they could jump the gun and get a head start toward winning by nabbing Martinez, who hit 45 home runs and drove in 104 this past season.
New York Mets
After two consecutive playoff appearances - which included a World Series trip in 2015 - the Mets crawled to a 70-92 finish amid a slew of injuries in 2017. General manager Sandy Alderson has about $60 million coming off the books and is working in a baseball-hungry market craving another visit to the postseason. What the Mets need most is to stay healthy, but if they really want to challenge the Washington Nationals for the NL East title, a slugger offering protection to Yoenis Cespedes could be the cure for what ails them. One red flag, however, is that Martinez would likely take away playing time from more capable defensive outfielders such as Michael Conforto, Juan Lagares, or Brandon Nimmo. Martinez doesn't offer much in the form of defensive value, recording minus-27 defensive runs saved over the past two seasons.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Why leave a good thing? Martinez was welcomed with open arms in the desert after the Diamondbacks acquired him from the Detroit Tigers prior to July's trade deadline. He rewarded them with 29 home runs and 65 RBIs in 62 games, leading to the team's first postseason appearance since 2011. Boras said Wednesday he expects the Diamondbacks to pursue Martinez, which could be a bright move if they intend to challenge for a playoff spot in the tough NL West once again. Arizona currently has just $62.6 million locked into players for next season, so an expensive deal seems plausible.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
(Team payroll figures courtesy: Spotrac)