The San Diego Padres need offense, and J.D. Martinez makes sense for the team. 

Spring is in the air.

Major League pitchers are reporting to camp, and shortly behind them, position players trickled into camp this week.

Games start in a matter of days, and rosters are set for the most part. The Padres added several players in the last 10 days or so, as suddenly, a very slow winter produced new additions to the team. Gavin Sheets, Connor Joe, and Jason Heyward were added to help provide offensive punch to the end of the lineup. This trio will help, but you must figure that the Padres are not done adding.

The Padres need hitters; thankfully, one is still looking for a job.

J.D. Martinez is still searching for a home in 2025. The 37-year-old veteran is coming off a poor season with the Mets but did record a .893 OPS and slugged 33 homers in 2023 while playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Is there still one more productive season left in this right-handed hitter’s bat?

Martinez made $12 million last year on a one-year deal but will likely not come close to approaching that number now.

The Padres are not able to spend as before unless they move some existing contracts.

San Diego would likely love to add Martinez, but the cost is an issue. There is also an issue, as Martinez is strictly a DH at this point in his career. He has not played any significant time on the field since 2021. The Padres like the ability to rotate their DH position, so adding Martinez does handicap them of sorts.

Still, when you are counting on production from Connor Joe or Jason Heyward, maybe you should consider Martinez, who comes with a high offensive pedigree (.863 lifetime OPS). Given that Martinez is 37, he will likely require a day off every once in a while. The Padres could still rotate their DH as the team has several players who can play multiple positions. Martinez still rakes against lefties (.836 OPS in 2024) and would make sense for the Padres in that regard.

Dollars and cents will be the determining factor here, but the longer we go into February, the lower Martinez’s price becomes.

If San Diego can land the veteran on a small one-year deal with some incentives, it may be a win-win for both parties. Martinez needs another productive year to earn a paycheck next winter. The Padres require some offensive help, and Martinez could surely provide that. Moving someone like Wandy Peralta may be enough to finically get a deal done. Peralta is set to make $4.25 million in 2025, with two player options at $4.45 million for 2026 and 2027. If Preller needs to attach a prospect to move the salary, then so be it.

The Padres are built to win now. They must do whatever it takes to solidify the team.

Adding J.D. Martinez is a move that could pay huge dividends. If he can approach his 2023 numbers at a team-friendly rate, then that would be an incredible deal for the Padres.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.