J.D. Martinez, the designated hitter, and the New York Mets have reached an agreement on a one-year, $12 million contract, an ESPN source confirmed on Thursday.
It is pending a physical inspection.
One week before Opening Day, Martinez provides slugger Pete Alonso and the Mets lineup with a reliable power source.
He'll also give you a significant discount.Martinez will only receive $4.5 million from New York this season, according to a source.
After that, he will get $1.5 million deferred annually from 2034 to 2038.
Long suspected of being interested in Martinez, the Mets were holding out for his price to come down to their level in order to avoid paying the luxury tax this season.
For the second year in a row, New York is expected to have the most payroll among the major leagues.
Martinez had an All-Star season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023 after a disappointing season with the Boston Red Sox in 2022.