J.D. Martinez makes his Mets debut after he was sidelined by back issues
NEW YORK (AP) — Six-time All-Star J.D. Martinez joined the New York Mets on Friday, more than a month after he signed and hopeful the back woes that delayed his debut are a thing of the past.
“I made it,” Martinez said with a grin at his locker.
Martinez batted fifth against the St. Louis Cardinals Friday night — in between former NL home run king Pete Alonso and former NL batting champ Jeff McNeil. The Mets are hopeful Martinez, whose 291 homers since 2014 are the fifth-most in the majors, can lengthen a lineup that has scored three runs or fewer 12 times in 24 games this season.
“I’m not going to lie — writing that lineup and putting his name on the paper is a good feeling,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Martinez filled the Mets’ need for a designated hitter by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $12 million — with $7.5 million deferred in annual installments from 2034-38 — on March 23, six days before New York opened its season against the Milwaukee Brewers.