J.D. Martinez thoughts on the matter is clear: Baseball needs to change its approach toward having the designated hitter in both the American and National Leagues.
This much was evident in his answer to the question about the rule, which has switched back for 2021 forcing pitchers in the National League to hit after not doing so in 2020.
"Yeah, I think it is," said Martinez when asked if it was time for the universal DH in both leagues. "I think it’s time. I think everybody knows it’s time. I think even the owners, the players, even the fans I feel know it’s time. Everybody wants offense and you saw it last year with certain guys. You look at (Marcell) Ozuna, he really benefited from hit. To me it’s the future of the game. We’re kind of holding it. We keep pushing it back and forth, back and forth. It’s one of those things. You have to either go in or go out, right?"
While the National League did use the designated hitter for 2020, there was a shift in overall production at the position. The average OPS (.723) in MLB for DH was the lowest since 1990. The NL did actually have a slightly higher mark (.728) than AL, who finished at .719.
Martinez, of course, has some motivation to have both leagues carry the DH, a move that would double his opportunities once the 33-year-old's current deal runs out.
He did, however, note a desire to follow in the path of such designated hitters as Nelson Cruz, who is still going strong into his 40's.
“One hundred percent," said Martinez when asked about duplicating such longevity. "I think I feel at least like I'm in one of those unique roles where I feel like I could do the same thing. I feel healthy. I feel like I take good care of myself. I feel like I study enough where I can keep myself at a certain level. So, like you said, I think those guys honestly, they give me motivation. I actually worked out with Nelson Cruz, you know, in the offseason a little bit and I was just picking his brain the whole time. I was like, 'Nelson talk to me, how do you do it? What is he, 42, 43 now? 41? Dude, I don't know how he does. it is amazing to me and he's more productive the last two years then he's been as I feel like his whole career if you look at his numbers. That's impressive and it gives you motivation because in your mind you're like well if he can do it why can’t I? So in my mind I'm gonna, you know I'm gonna do the best I can to strive and just keep working hard and, you know, take each day how it comes.”
