5 players the Blue Jays need to sign ASAP now that Cody Bellinger is off the market

Who must the Jays actively pursue in the free agent market before it’s too late?
Toronto Blue Jays v Baltimore Orioles
Toronto Blue Jays v Baltimore Orioles / Jess Rapfogel/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next

J.D. Martinez

Perhaps the most consistent prolific hitter remaining in the free agent market, J.D. Martinez would instantly make the Jays an offensive juggernaut. After all, the 13-year veteran is a six-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner during his illustrious career. He has been consistently one of the top hitters in the league, with a career batting average of .287 and OPS of .874, while averaging close to 34 home runs and 107 RBI per season over a 162-game schedule pace.

More importantly, Martinez has shown that age is a not a factor that could slow him down. Even when hitting in a pitcher-friendly ballpark with the Dodgers last season, the now-36-year-old had a huge year by compiling a .271 average, .893 OPS, with 61 runs scored, 27 doubles, 33 home runs and 103 RBI in 113 games played.

Occupying the DH role for the past few seasons, Martinez is hardly viewed as an outfielder anymore. He could occasionally earn a spot start in one of the corners, but it may not be pretty. As a result, his inclusion to the roster would likely push Turner into a fielding position in order to fit both bats into the lineup. It could ultimately affect the Jays’ overall defense to some extent, but to have two proven potent hitters in the lineup joining the likes of Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and George Springer, their worries about offense should be a thing of the past for 2024.