Mets' Updated Lineup, Payroll, Luxury Tax After J.D. Martinez's Rumored $12M Contract
March 22, 2024
Free agent designated hitter J.D. Martinez is reportedly joining the New York Mets on a $12 million deal, per The New York Post's Jon Heyman.
The three-time Silver Slugger Award winner is coming off a season where he had 117 hits, 33 home runs and 103 RBI in just 432 at-bats. He gets a pay raise with the Mets after earning $10 million during his year with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023.
With Martinez heading to New York, here's a look at the Mets' updated lineup:
- C: Francisco Alvarez
- 1B: Pete Alonso
- 2B: Jeff McNeil
- 3B: Brett Baty
- SS: Francisco Lindor
- LF: Brandon Nimmo
- CF: Harrison Bader
- RF: Starling Marte
- DH: J.D. Martinez
Before signing Martinez, the Mets had $302.43 million in payroll, per Spotrac, so with Martinez's deal they will be around $314.43 million in total payroll in 2024, highest in the majors. The Mets also had a league-high $71.5 million luxury tax bill, per Spotrac, which will now be about $84.5 million after adding an expected $13 million to that total:
Adding Martinez will do the Mets plenty of favors on offense. After New York relied primarily on Pete Alonso, who had 123 hits, 46 homers and 118 RBI in 2023, it now has some support in the form of Martinez.
The Mets have been to the postseason just one time in the last seven seasons, and with a big bat added to the lineup, they'll be looking to return to the postseason in 2024.
