PORT ST. LUCIE — One potentially explosive bat gained for the Mets, along with probable ground toward becoming a legitimate playoff contender.
Mets players reported for workouts at Clover Park on Friday — with others in Tampa for a Grapefruit League game against the Yankees — with a different perspective on their team, following the club’s agreement a night earlier with J.D. Martinez on a one-year contract worth $12 million.
The veteran DH was at the Mets’ spring training complex to receive his physical, the last remaining detail before his agreement becomes official.
Brandon Nimmo, who didn’t travel to Tampa, served as the welcoming committee.
Martinez has agreed to remain in extended spring training and play in minor league games into the season to accumulate at-bats.
“I just told him that I am excited for him to be here,” Nimmo said. “I know it’s a whirlwind right now and we just want to make it as calm of a process as possible and get him his at-bats and help in any way we can.”
Martinez, 36, produced at a .271/.321/.572 clip with 33 homers and 103 RBIs in 113 games last season for the Dodgers.
His addition, after languishing on the free-agent market, gives the Mets a proven bat at a bargain price. Martinez’s deal includes deferrals totaling $7.5 million, lowering the Mets’ luxury tax hit.
Nimmo received the news about Martinez from team owner Steve Cohen on a text chain Thursday that also included Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor.
Last week, Nimmo had hinted to The Post that another bat would be welcomed by the team.
“We’re never going to turn down another bat, especially of that caliber,” Nimmo said. “I am really excited to get to learn from him. He’s obviously been one of the greater hitters of our generation and it’s going to be real fun to get to be a sponge around him.”
Luis Severino, who has competed against Martinez over the years, credited the organization for bringing an “old school” presence to the clubhouse.
“He makes this lineup a lot better, not only with his bat but with his mind,” Severino said. “He’s a smart guy. It’s a great acquisition.”
Adam Ottavino, who was Martinez’s teammate with the Red Sox, said Martinez will help make the players around him better.
“He’s just a very serious guy about his work, and I think that rubs off on other guys and he is relentless,” Ottavino said.
“When you are in the dog days he’s not letting his focus slip at all and I just think that is good to have somebody like that around because it keeps everybody a little sharper in those moments. It was pretty apparent when I played with him how consistent he is with his effort every day.”
Is it fair to say Martinez’s addition has moved the Mets closer to the postseason?
“I would say that is fair,” Ottavino said. “It’s definitely going to improve our offense. Improvement is improvement.”
Martinez will bring protection in the lineup for Pete Alonso.
The Mets had Mark Vientos in position to potentially receive many of those at-bats at DH and must decide whether Vientos still fits on the roster once Martinez is ready or whether to keep him at Triple-A Syracuse to receive consistent playing time.
Nimmo said he is pleased with the commitment that Cohen is showing to competing this season even as the Mets want to evaluate their younger players, such as Vientos and Brett Baty.
“[Cohen] is continuing to care as much as we are and trying to work on this as much as we are,” Nimmo said. “We really appreciate having an owner like him.”
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