MLB insider reports that 6-time All-Star reportedly spurned SF Giants contract offer

Before the SF Giants signed Jorge Soler to a three-year, $42 million pact, they expressed interest in six-time All-Star J.D. Martinez. In fact, they even made an offer to the veteran bat, but he did not want to join them according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

MLB insider reports that 6-time All-Star reportedly spurned SF Giants contract offer

Heyman did not provide a specific reason. Martinez spent the 2023 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, so it is possible that he is looking for another opportunity to compete. Given that the Giants have only reached the postseason once in the past seven seasons, it is tough to market it as a competitive destination.

Many of Scott Boras' clients remain in free agency. Boras represents Martinez along with Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Matt Chapman. The Giants have been connected to Chapman a lot this winter, but Farhan Zaidi recently downplayed the idea of further additions to the roster.

Boras tends to wait out the market with the hopes of pitting two teams against each other to create a bidding war for a free agent. It works more often than not. However, the slow pace of the offseason has really hurt the entertainment value of free agency. Of course, Boras is not too concerned with the entertainment value of the offseason. He is focused on getting his clients paid.

While teams remain skeptical of several of Boras' clients for various reason, it is difficult to blame him for Martinez still being on the open market. If Heyman's report is accurate, the righty bat had an offer on the table and chose to reject it.

That is his choice. After all, this is free agency. And, winning could be paramount to him given that he is entering his age-36 season in 2024. There just might not be many more opportunities to compete.

Nevertheless, the right-handed bat is coming off of a strong 2023 season in which he registered a .271/.321/.572 line (134 OPS+) with 33 home runs, 103 RBI, and 61 runs in 479 plate appearances for the Dodgers. This includes a 7.1 percent walk rate, 31.1 percent strikeout rate, and a .301 ISO.

The 13-year veteran collected two hits in 10 at-bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the NLDS last October. That does not sound like a lot of hits, but it is twice as many as Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman recorded during that series. Feel free to use that fact for the next time you are at a party.

There is no doubt that Martinez would have bolstered a Giants lineup that needs more offensive production. That said, they filled that void by adding Jorge Soler.

Update: According to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area, Martinez's camp made a counteroffer to the Giants, but they were not comfortable with it.