As Opening Day nears, the New York Mets have secured free agent slugger J.D. Martinez on a one-year, $12 million deal, pending a physical. The signing addresses one of the offseason's biggest questions about where the veteran hitter would land.

After a disappointing 2022 season in which he hit just 16 home runs in 533 at-bats—his lowest total in a full season—Martinez rebounded spectacularly in 2023. He belted 33 home runs in only 432 at-bats and posted a career-best slugging percentage of .572. Despite turning 36 in 2024, there’s confidence that Martinez can continue to be a potent designated hitter.

In 2023, Martinez's performance was impressive even though he missed a significant portion of the season due to injury. He played only 113 games, including a notable recovery after a groin injury sidelined him for much of August and early September. In the final 21 games of the regular season, Martinez surged, hitting .333 with a .371 on-base percentage and a .679 slugging percentage, including eight home runs.

Statcast data highlights Martinez's strong season: his barrel rate of 17.1% was his highest since 2017, and his hard-hit rate of 55.1% was the best he’s recorded since Statcast began tracking in 2015. For comparison, his barrel rate and hard-hit rate in 2022 were 12.5% and 41.7%, respectively.

However, Martinez's strikeout rate increased to a career-high 31.1% in 2023, nearly seven percentage points higher than the previous year. This is an area that could require attention moving forward, but his overall production and resilience suggest that he remains a valuable asset as he joins the Mets for the 2024 season.