The free agent market has moved extremely slowly this offseason and there still are multiple stars available.
One former member of the Boston Red Sox is among the players still looking for a new home. Former Red Sox All-Star J.D. Martinez had a strong 2023 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers but still is a free agent.
There were some rumblings that he could return to Los Angeles, but those rumors were shut down when the club signed two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. It’s unclear where Martinez will land now, but he has been linked to a handful of teams this offseason.
One club that is seen as the “perfect fit” for Martinez is the Cleveland Guardians, according to USA Today Sports’ Bob Nightengale.
“The perfect fit for (designated hitter) J.D. Martinez, (general managers) say, are the Cleveland Guardians, who have spent just $1.1 million this winter,” Nightengale said.
Martinez certainly will help whichever team that ends up landing him. He is 36 years old but showed that he has plenty of pop left in his bat. The six-time All-Star clubbed 33 home runs last season and drove in 103 runs in 113 games with the Dodgers.
The Guardians are in an interesting spot. Cleveland won 76 games last season and seems to be approaching a rebuild, but hasn’t traded star pitcher Shane Bieber yet. This could be a sign that the club will enter the 2024 season with the intention to compete for a playoff spot.
Things could change if they struggle out of the gate, but landing someone like Martinez would be a great addition. Cleveland has some talent on the roster, landing a veteran like Martinez on a short-term deal could go a long way to compete for a playoff spot in 2024.
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