Mets Ink Slugger J.D. Martinez in Late Night Move

 If Steve Cohen has showed us one thing since he bought the Mets four years ago is he's always willing and able to find ways to make a deal if it improves his team. 

And did he ever. 

The Mets signed slugger J.D. Martinez to a one-year contract worth $12 million. The contract is incentive laden as Martinez will make roughly $4.5 million this season, and the rest will be deferred through the year 2034 - 2038 according to reports. 

Adding Martinez is a huge boon for the Mets who were not looking too good offensively in Spring Training. The Mets were hoping Mark Vientos would grab the bull by the proverbial horns this spring as the full time DH but it hasn't worked out. 

While Vientos led the team with four homers in Spring, he was hitting only .205 in Grapefruit League action. 

Martinez is no spring chicken, he's 36. Yet in 113 games last season with the LA Dodgers, Martinez crushed 33 home runs. He is a six-time All Star, who has been selected to the All Star Game in each of the last three seasons.

For a team that has a number of veteran players (Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil) under long term contracts, plus a free agent to be in Pete Alonso, the Mets send a huge message that they are indeed in the business of winning this season, despite opinions to the contrary. 

All of sudden a glum outlook for the Mets 2024 fortunes doesn't look so glum after all!