METS SIGN INF/OF JOSÉ MARTÍNEZ

FLUSHING, N.Y., January 14, 2020 — The New York Mets announced today that the team has signed infielder/outfielder José Martínez to a one-year contract.

Martínez, 32, debuted with St. Louis in 2016 and spent the first four seasons of his major league career with the Cardinals. He hit over .300 in each of his first two full campaigns, including a .305 (163–534) average in 2018 that ranked seventh in the NL.

The 6-foot, 6-inch right-handed hitter is a career .307 (95–309) hitter vs. left-handed pitchers with a .915 OPS and has batted .283 (265–935) with a .765 OPS vs. right-handers.

He has played first base and both corner outfield positions in his five-year major league career, recording a .990 fielding percentage at first base and a combined .983 mark in the outfield.

Martínez split last season between the Tampa Bay Rays (24 games) and Chicago Cubs (10 games), combining to hit .182/.265/.295 with four doubles, two homers and 10 RBI.

The La Guaira, Venezuela native was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Chicago White Sox in 2006. He is a career .289 hitter in 432 major league games with 61 doubles, 43 home runs, 182 RBI, 170 runs scored and a lifetime .803 OPS. He batted .538 (7–13) with three RBI in seven games during the 2019 postseason for St. Louis.