In the new era of the universal designated hitter, more than ever veteran bats can continue to contribute across the league despite age and defensive liabilities. It can extend a career and also give teams more opportunities to focus solely on a bat for the lineup. J.D. Martinez has been one of the most productive and consistent bats in baseball since 2014. The six-time All-Star has proven to be a bonafide slugger wherever he goes with a keen ability to drive in runs. In 113 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, Martinez batted .271/.321/.572 with 33 home runs, 103 RBI, and 27 doubles. At the age of 36, Martinez has shown he has plenty left in the tank and there could be plenty of suitors to benefit from his services.

Kansas City Royals 

The Royals were making quite the splash earlier this winter. They have spent over $100 million in free agency to bolster their starting rotation and strengthen some other outfield pieces. The team has done little to boost their offensive potential overall aside from signing Hunter Renfroe. RosterResource ranks the Royals 22nd in the DH department. Nelson Velázquez is projected to be the starting DH as currently constructed. Velázquez turned in a solid campaign with 17 home runs, including the 14 he clubbed after coming over to the Royals in a trade with the Chicago Cubs in July. Velázquez is an honorable choice for DH, but if the team can add a veteran bat like Martinez to contribute his 1.9 rWAR and 30 home runs potential, it would be a big boost for a team looking to take their division in 2024. It’s not as likely as some other moves, but it’s something worth considering if you’re the Royals.

Los Angeles Angels

The loss of Shohei Ohtani is a big blow to the Angels lineup. As it stands the team could have Brandon Drury take up the majority of at-bats as the DH with Mike Trout also getting a good amount of time. The absence of Ohtani could give the Angels a bit more flexibility in how they construct the roster further, opening the door for an addition of J.D. Martinez. Drury provides infield versatility that could become helpful for the Angels. He can slide around to first, second, and third base and is one of their better bats after clubbing 26 home runs in 2023. His defense, while not spectacular, is also not terrible. A somewhat revolving door at DH with Martinez as the primary option could help the Angels with their matchups and cycle the roster to a more productive flow. Martinez may not be Ohtani, but he is quite capable of providing the same level of offense at a cheaper price. The Angels have some cash to spend and Martinez could come at a reasonable one-year rate like he did with the Dodgers last season.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks made a lot of their moves earlier in the offseason, most recently re-signing Lourdes Gurriel Jr. last month. The team also added Eugenio Suarez via trade but beyond that, they haven’t done much else to upgrade their offense. General manager Mike Hazen has said that the team is looking for a hitter to plug into the DH spot and what better option than to reunite with Martinez? In 2017 the Diamondbacks acquired Martinez from the Tigers in one of the best rental trades in recent memory. Martinez took off in 62 games with the Diamondbacks, batting .302/.366/.741 with 29 home runs and 65 RBI. Martinez would make the lineup a bit more right-handed but it would allow Gurriel Jr. to play in the outfield more regularly and keep players like Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy in more of platoon situations rather than everyday starters. The veteran presence of Martinez along with his playoff experience make too much sense for a young Diamondbacks team looking to get back to the World Series.