Mets notes: JDM, Quintana, Manaea

A season full of OMGs and Grimace memes came to an end this weekend as the Dodgers defeated the Mets with a 10-5 victory that sent LA to a World Series showdown and left the Mets looking ahead to the 2025 season. New York's roster is rife with experienced free agents, and president of baseball operations David Stearns and his staff will have their work cut out for them this offseason as they reshape the roster. Several outgoing Mets free agents made it clear they were interested in returning, including some aging veterans who are in the final stages of their careers.

Designated batsman JD Martinez joked “Pickleball” when asked what the future holds for him (video link via SNY). The 37-year-old slugger said first and foremost that his future involves going home to his new daughter, whom he has barely seen since she was born in September. Beyond family time, Martinez made it clear that he hopes to continue his playing career, but only if teams take the initiative. “I won’t come back because I’m begging to come back,” Martinez said. “I will come back because it makes sense. Ultimately, time is the most valuable thing.”

Presumably that means there's a price at which Martinez doesn't feel compelled to commit to another break from his growing young family. But the slugger also recently appeared on the “Baseball Isn't Boring” podcast and told host Rob Bradford that frustration with the general lack of interest last offseason led him to consider retirement.

“I felt like it was just an unpleasant year,” Martinez said (video link). “Here I am, the team is collapsing in five days and I don’t even have a team yet. Your brain goes into a weird mode where you ask, “Am I playing?” Am I not? Am I playing? I'm not? Is that it? Am I retired? … We didn’t ask for anything that I don’t think other players would have gotten at the time.”

Martinez went on to say that he had been waiting for offers the entire offseason and was “100%” thinking about retiring, even telling his best friend, “I think this is it.” I'm staying home . That's stupid. I’m begging for a job and I had a .900 OPS last year.”

Entering the 2024-25 offseason, Martinez will not have had the same season with the Dodgers as he did in 2023. During his only year in LA, he hit 33 home runs and hit .271/.321/.572 in 479 plate appearances. Martinez was still a significantly above-average hitter last season, but a slow start after signing late (March 23) and a dismal end to the season resulted in him having a batting line of .235/.320/.406. That was about eight percent better than average as measured by wRC+ (108).

An optimist might let two slow weeks pass at the start of the season and look past the end to see that Martinez hit .251/.336/.459 with 16 home runs in 387 plate appearances from mid-May to late August, but the Teams won. I won't be so generous as to simply write off these issues and just focus on his peak production on the season. Martinez noted that he is encouraged by his batted balls, even if the final performance did not match his best, and to his credit, he maintained excellent marks in exit velocity, running speed and hard hit rate. He also reduced his career-worst strikeout rate in 2023 and improved his walk rate to its highest level since 2019.

teammate Jose Quintana was more direct and direct in his intentions to return next year. The 35-year-old left-hander told reporters (link via Jesse Rogers of ESPN): “I’m healthy. I feel good. I want to try to win a championship again. That was the best thing I've ever experienced in my career. One day I’ll get the opportunity.”

Quintana, 36 in January, threw 170 1/3 innings of 3.75 ERA ball for the Mets in 2024 – the second season of a two-year, $26 million free-agent contract. His 18.8% strikeout rate and 8.8% walk rate don't necessarily speak to that success, but Quintana has been a reliable source of innings and has a long track record of quality rotation work in the majors. Beginning pitchers are always in demand, and he has a good chance of getting another eight-figure salary on a one-year deal – if not even the potential to find a similar two-year deal to the one he just signed.

Age aspects don't play such a big role for 32-year-olds Sean Manaeawho is looking for a multi-year contract as a free agent and can no longer turn down a player option worth $13.5 million. Manaea has signed consecutive “proof” contracts, so to speak, i.e. consecutive two-year contracts with opt-out options. He opted out of his contract with the Giants after the 2023 season, will opt out of his contract with the Mets next month and is now finally in a position to get the type of longer, multi-year deal that has so far eluded him in free agency. The Mets will most likely extend him a qualifying offer, but even if there is draft consideration attached to his name, Manaea could get a three-year deal this time around.

The left-hander pitched a career-high 181 2/3 innings, plus another 19 in the postseason. His regular season ended with a 3.47 ERA, a 24.9% strikeout rate and an 8.5% walk rate. He was hit hard in his last start – which ended the Mets' season – but held opponents to five runs in 17 innings (2.65 ERA) in his first three postseason starts.

Time will tell if Manaea is back in New York, but the southpaw emphasized how much he loved his time with the organization and called the 2024 campaign the best season of his career (link via Christina De Nicola of MLB.com). “I love my time here,” Manaea said. “I love New York. I love the organization. I love all the people here. Definitely give the body a few days to rest and then we’ll move on.”

In addition to the trio of Martinez, Manaea and Quintana, the Mets will also be featured Pete Alonso, Luis Severino, Harrison Bader, Brooks Raley, Adam Ottavino, Jesse Winker, Jose Iglesias, Drew Smith And Ryne Stanek all will become free agents after the World Series.