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Mets sign slugger Jose Martinez to one-year deal
The New York Mets added an infielder on a Thursday but did so without executing a blockbuster trade this time around.
Per the official MLB website, the Mets agreed to a one-year deal with utility player Jose Martinez. The 32-year-old has experience playing first base and the two corner outfield positions, and he will earn $1 million off his contract with $500,000 in incentives if he makes the big-league roster. That number drops to $225,000 if the Mets relegate Martinez to the minor leagues.
Martinez made his MLB debut in 2016 with the St. Louis Cardinals, and he hit .309 in 2017 and then .305 the following season. He spent time with the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs during the 2020 pandemic-shortened campaign and hit .182 with two home runs, 10 RBI and an OPS of .561.
Over his career, Martinez has slugged 43 homers with 182 RBI, 170 runs scored and an OPS of .803 across 432 regular-season appearances.
The Mets generated headlines last Thursday when they acquired All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco from the Cleveland Indians. Signing Martinez may be a mere blip on the radar for fans, but he could provide the Mets with some needed defensive depth and coverage.
More must-reads:
- Who has the most home runs in a season for every MLB franchise?
- One trade each American League team must make
- The '30 or more home runs in 2003' quiz
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Why SS Bo Bichette's stellar play could cost Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays have the best record in Major League Baseball. Depth contributions throughout the lineup and on the pitching staff are a major factor in their success, but what might be even more important is the heater shortstop Bo Bichette is on. Like most of the rest of the team, after a slow start, Bichette has found his groove, and he put it all on display as Toronto (63-43) won three of four at AL Central-leading Detroit from Thursday-Sunday. Already with two RBI on Thursday and Friday, Bichette added two RBI in Saturday's 6-1 win that included this unreal 13-pitch at-bat against Tarik Skubal. Not many are taking arguably the best pitcher in baseball 13 pitches deep and forcing a walk. In Toronto's 10-4 loss Sunday, Bichette went 5-for-5 with two more RBI. Per StatMuse, it was his fourth five-hit game in the big leagues. Bichette entered the four-game series with a .281 average and now heads to Baltimore with a .289 average. That's superstar stuff from the 27-year-old two-time All-Star. Through 103 games, Bichette has 13 HRs and 65 RBI, putting him on pace for a 20-HR, 99-RBI season. He has driven in 100 runs only once during his seven-year MLB career. Bichette is doing himself wonders in a contract year, especially after a down, injury-plagued 2024 season. Toronto's chance to extend him at a discounted rate is long gone, and it feels like a formality that Bichette will at least test the market this winter. We've seen megadeals handed out to some of the league's best shortstops in recent years, including the Mets' Francisco Lindor, Texas' Corey Seager, Philadelphia's Trea Turner and Minnesota's Carlos Correa. Combine that with the increasing contract values around baseball, and Bichette is set to receive a massive payday. For now, Bichette's focus is on helping the Blue Jays win and make a postseason run that includes Toronto's first World Series title since 1993.
Longtime Maple Leafs Defenseman in Serious Contract Dispute With His New Team
The longtime former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins is in a serious contract dispute with his new team, the Buffalo Sabres. Nobody appears happy to stay with the Buffalo Sabres organization. Most of the talented players on the team were included in trade or free agency rumors, and now, Timmins doesn't appear too excited to sign with the team. Indeed, the Restricted Free Agent, who was traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Sabres earlier this offseason for Connor Clifton and a second-round pick, isn't close to reaching a deal in Buffalo. With arbitration hearings set to take place over the coming days, Timmins and the Sabres are likely to meet for that reason soon. Unless a deal is reached before then, the hearing will take place on August 2nd. The Ontario native is coming off a rocky season, where he played 51 games for the Leafs and 17 more in Pittsburgh after being traded. In those 68 games, the 26-year-old defenseman tallied 15 points, including three goals. After seeing three players around the NHL reach deals before their hearing date, some fans hoped to see the Sabres and Timmins sign a contract soon, but multiple reports confirmed that there hasn't been any 'traction' between both camps. As of now, five more players are scheduled to have salary hearings. Here's the full list, per PuckPedia: Arvid Soderblom (Chicago Blackhawks) - July 28 Maksim Tsyplakov (New York Islanders) - July 29 Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg Jets) - July 30 Conor Timmins (Buffalo Sabres) - August 2 Nicholas Robertson (Toronto Maple Leafs) - August 3 Jayden Struble (Montreal Canadiens) - August 3 It'll be interesting to see what kind of contract Timmins would get in a hearing, or if a deal will be reached before the date. With the Sabres' reputation, it's not surprising to see that he appears reluctant to sign in Buffalo. Hopefully for their fans, massive changes will be done to the team to make sure they can attract top talent and convince them to stay with the team.
Who reportedly has 'lost ground' in Colts' QB competition
Free-agency signing Daniel Jones seemingly entered training camp as the favorite to win the Indianapolis Colts' starting quarterback job after third-year pro Anthony Richardson was shut down from throwing in late May when he experienced discomfort in his surgically repaired shoulder. However, James Boyd of The Athletic noted in an article posted on Monday that Jones "hasn’t done anything to separate himself from Richardson" heading into August. "If anything, Jones seems to have lost ground with the QB battle about even," Boyd continued. "...The only day one quarterback clearly outplayed the other was Friday, when Richardson went 8-of-11 passing with a couple of first-down throws and a handful of solid checkdowns. The latter have typically hindered Richardson in the past, so that he connected on those passes was a positive sign for his development. Jones, meanwhile, finished 6-of-10 passing Friday as Indy’s defensive backs were able to break up his passes." The Colts made it known they were serious about possibly naming Jones their 2025 Week 1 starter when they signed him to a one-year, $14M contract that's worth up to $17.7M and included $13.15M guaranteed this past March. That's understandable considering Richardson has hardly looked like a star when healthy and was limited to 15 starts out of 32 contests (outside of a two-game benching) over his first two NFL seasons. According to Pro Football Reference, Richardson finished the 2024 campaign ranked last in the league among qualified players with a 47.7 percent completion percentage and a 61.6 passer rating. That said, Jones' performances in July could cause some to worry that he won't be better than what he was when he went 3-13 over his final 16 starts with the New York Giants from September 2023 through last fall. For what it's worth, Jones ended the 2024 season ranked 35th out of 36 quarterbacks with a 79.4 passer rating. "Neither quarterback has lit it up on offense, evidenced by their unofficial stats, but for Jones to win the starting job, he’ll have to play a lot better," Boyd continued. "Otherwise, the Colts have no reason to start the 28-year-old Jones, who’s on a one-year deal, over the 23-year-old Richardson, who was drafted to blossom into the face of the franchise." As of Monday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook had Richardson at -130 betting odds to start Indianapolis' Week 1 game versus the Miami Dolphins over Jones (+102 odds). ESPN's Dan Graziano suggested in a piece published on Monday that he agrees with such forecasts. "Training camp is where Richardson looks the best," Graziano said about the fourth overall pick of the 2023 draft. "If he's healthy, he's likely to outperform Jones on the practice field. The Colts also have a lot more invested in Richardson, and if it's a close competition, most people I talk to believe that will tilt things in his favor -- at least to start the season." Indianapolis opens the preseason with a game at the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 7.
Packers have intriguing battle brewing behind Josh Jacobs, with strong depth and young talent creating real competition
When the Green Bay Packers signed a 26-year-old Josh Jacobs to a four-year contract last offseason, there was nothing short-term behind the plan. The decision to move on from Aaron Jones to sign a younger, more physically reliable running back was exactly to have an elite option for years to come. After a year, the decision couldn't have gone better. Jacobs made the Pro Bowl in his first season with the Packers and was the most productive offensive piece, besides his positive locker room impact. This is the second series of our 2025 Packers positional breakdown, and it's time to talk about what Green Bay has at running back beyond Jacobs. Competition for touches and spots After Jones got released and the Packers were able to re-sign AJ Dillon a year ago, the former second-rounder was presumed to be the immediate backup. But a neck injury ended his season before it even started, effectively concluding his Packers tenure as well. The backup job went to Emanuel Wilson, a former undrafted player who shares some skill set similarities to Aaron Jones. Chris Brooks, signed after the Miami Dolphins surprisingly cut him, was the depth option. Both played at a pretty good level last season, but that doesn't secure them a roster spot now. And that's because MarShawn Lloyd is back. A third-round pick last year, Lloyd missed basically his entire rookie season due to ankle and hamstring injuries, plus an appendicitis. Now, he seems to be fully healthy again and ready to battle for touches. "I'm doing good, really good," Lloyd said during mandatory minicamp. "Running as fast as I can, can jump as high as I want, can catch the ball. I'm doing pretty good." Roster battles Presuming that the Packers will keep Jacobs and Lloyd on the 53-man roster, there will be four players Fighting for one or two roster spots—the second one will likely depend on special teams opportunities. Wilson and Brooks are the favorites, but the Packers have added competition with undrafted rookies Amar Johnson and Jalen White. Due to his production as a runner, Emanuel Wilson is the top offensive option. In 2024, his second NFL season, Wilson had 550 scrimmage yards and five total touchdowns, a low-key super productive year. Brooks is not as efficient, but offers more to special teams. Johnson and White probably compete for a practice squad spot, unless they show something truly impressive in training camp and preseason. The Packers have the talent and different options to fill varied roles within the roster. But competition brings the best out of anyone, and that's what the coaching staff wants to see.
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