On Thursday, MLB insider Jon Heyman reported that the Los Angeles Angels and New York Mets are interested in designated hitter JD Martinez, per Michael Marino. Both teams were mentioned as possible suitors for Shohei Ohtani before the former Angels star signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

With Ohtani now with the Dodgers, JD Martinez is one of the most coveted designated hitters in the sport. He's made three consecutive All-Star teams and performed especially well in 2023 with the Dodgers. Martinez does come with some risk as he's battled injury concerns over the past few seasons and is 36-years old.

Regardless, the Mets and Angels are in the market for a DH and Martinez has seemingly caught their interest.

What JD Martinez can offer Mets, Angels, other suitors

Despite playing in only 113 games during the '23 campaign, Martinez slashed .271/.321/.572/.893. He added 33 home runs and 103 RBI in his first, and likely last season with the Dodgers.

LA probably would have considered a reunion with Martinez if Ohtani signed elsewhere. But Ohtani is a DH so there would not be an available spot for Martinez on the Dodgers roster. As a result, a reunion is probably out of the question.

Martinez, a right-handed hitter, makes sense for a number of teams. He's an all-around quality hitter who can drive the ball to all parts of the field. He offers decent pop and tends to make pitchers work.

Additionally, Martinez can anchor a lineup in the middle of it, or find success from the bottom of a batting order. It doesn't matter where Martinez hits, as he's going to find a way to be productive despite the circumstances.

The Mets and Angels are intriguing fits for Martinez. Both teams would certainly benefit from the extra offense, however, there are not any guarantees that the Angels or Mets will make a playoff run in 2024.

If Martinez signs with either club and the team struggles, he'd instantly become a popular candidate to be moved ahead of the 2024 trade deadline.

JD Martinez's free agency will be interesting to follow as the offseason continues. Although the Mets and Angels are being linked to him right now, it would not be surprising to see other teams enter the conversation.