How might the Mets address their DH issue in 2025?

New York also bolstered their starting pitching and catching depth on Wednesday

AP

What’s up with the Mets? 🍎

• The Mets signed RHP Griffin Canning, as first reported by The Athletic, to a one-year, $4.25 million contract (Read More)

• The Mets signed C Chris Williams to a minor league deal on Wednesday (The Athletic)

• OF Juan Soto’s income tax bill could eventually end up exceeding the total value of Aaron Judge’s $360 million contract with the Yankees (Sportico)

• Since the Soto signing, the Mets have seen a boost in ticket sales (Newsday)

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Rumor Mill 💨

• Cardinals 3B Nolan Arenado refused to waive his no-trade clause in order to nix a potential move to the Astros (MLB.com)

• The Yankees have an in-person meeting with free agent RHP Roki Sasaki set up “soon" (ESPN)

• Free agent OF Teoscar Hernández, who won the World Series with LA in 2024, is seeking a three-year contract with an average annual value in the $24 million range (MLB.com)

• The Cubs are all in on pitching after shedding Cody Bellinger’s salary, and they have kicked the tires on a potential trade for Marlins LHP Jesús Luzardo (FanSided)

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Could the Mets bring back J.D. Martinez and Jesse Winker as a DH tandem? ✍️

Charles Wenzelberg - NY Post

We’ve hit somewhat of a dead point in Hot Stove season. There isn’t a whole lot going on right now, especially as it pertains to the New York Mets.

Outside of signing Juan Soto to a history-making, record-breaking deal last week, the Mets have largely made a slew of minor signings. They also added to their starting rotation depth with the reported signing of RHP Griffin Canning on Wednesday night.

There’s been nothing really juicy to get excited about, however, and we still await news on Pete Alonso’s future, the Alex Bregman sweepstakes, and a front-end starter. Although there maybe a little bit clarity building with Bregman after it was reported his former team, the Astros attempted to but failed to acquire 3B Nolan Arenado from the Cardinals.

In other words, there’s still plenty of work to be done by the Mets as we edge ever closer to the holidays.

One thing probably way down their list of priorities is the DH position, but none the less will need to be addressed in some form over the next couple of months.

At the time of writing this, the Mets currently don’t have a regular penciled in at the designated hitter position. Whether Alonso returns or not, it is hard to envision Mark Vientos becoming a full-time DH.

Therefore, at some point this offseason, the Mets will need to address that very real and clear need. Could they turn to two familiar faces from last year in J.D. Martinez and Jesse Winker in order to fill that void?

Martínez was the team’s primary DH in 2024 and did provide some pop in the middle of the lineup. The veteran hit .235/.320/.406 with 16 home runs and 69 RBIs. Martínez also owned a .955 OPS with runners in scoring position. However, he was too streaky at times and hit a significant cold spell down the stretch run. After becoming such a non-factor, Martínez was a part-time player in the postseason. You could make a compelling case that a lack of spring training was the main reason why Martínez faded so badly at the end of the year. Maybe that wouldn’t happen if he signed a lot earlier this offseason. On the flip side, Martínez is 37 years old, and the fact that he posted his lowest OPS+ mark (106) over any full season since 2013 should be of some concern.

He also didn’t commit to playing beyond the 2024 season when asked after the Mets lost to the Dodgers in the NLCS.

As for Winker, the former Mets nemesis morphed into an instant fans’ favorite after being acquired at the Trade Deadline. From hitting a walk-off home run early on in his Mets career to coming up with clutch hit after clutch hit, Winker certainly made a boatload of friends in Queens. He also played the game with nothing but passion, giving his heart, body, mind and soul to every single moment he had out on the field. In terms of actual performance, Winker’s 118 OPS+ was his best mark since 2021. He hit .243/.318/.365/.683 with five doubles, three homers and 13 RBIs for the Mets. Plus, his 14 stolen bases with the Nationals prior to the Trade Deadline highlights the fact that the veteran can be a multi-faceted offensive threat. Furthermore, Winker also offers some positional flexibility given that he can play in the outfield, which is another huge plus.

It’s worth mentioning Winker has the 27th best OPS vs right-handed pitching since he arrived to the big leagues in 2017 (min. 2000 PA).

So, could it be feasible that the Mets opt to bring back both Winker and Martinez and use them as a highly-effective DH tandem?

Corey Sipkin - NY Post

Anything is possible, of course.

Martínez mashed against lefties in 2024, while Winker did better against righties, so the pair combined could give the Mets some real tangible production from the DH spot. If both players were willing to come back on one-year deals at a low cost, it could be a really smart way to address the DH position, while adding some depth and length to the lineup. If Martínez is even a tick better than he was in 2024, and Winker is able to reproduce what he did post-Trade Deadline in a Mets uniform over the course of a full 162-game season, then it would be hard to argue with bringing the duo back.

Winker has seemed like a no-brainer to retain since the end of the season too. He loved playing for the Mets, he fit right into the culture and philosophy the Mets are trying to build here, and yes, he performed in big spots.

There are other benefits too. Martinez’s willingness to teach the likes of Mark Vientos the art of hitting proved invaluable last year. While Winker’s fiery inner-drive and competitiveness, coupled with his incredible patience at the plate, added a different dimension to that Mets lineup after the Trade Deadline.

Of course, there is the possibility that Starling Marte gets more reps at DH with Soto now the team’s everyday right fielder, assuming he isn’t traded. But, given Marte’s inability to stay healthy over the past couple of years, it might be smart to have a backup plan.

Again, the length of the deal and the cost of the contract have to be right. And, out of the two, a reunion with Winker seems the more likely outcome. But, if both of those things lined up, a DH tandem of Martinez and Winker could be a very productive one for the Mets in 2025. You would be bringing a slew of attributes to one position with two players who could really thrive in 2025 if used in the right way.

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Around the League 🚩

• The White Sox signed RHP Bryse Wilson to a one-year, $1.05 million deal on Wednesday

• The White Sox also announced some significant off-the-field news, with their ballpark renamed to ‘Rate Field’

• Major League Baseball released its much-anticipated pitching study in a bid to try and find out why so many pitchers are getting hurt in the modern game (ESPN)