What's in a name?: Why Mets' J.D. Martinez wears his full name on his jersey
J.D. Martinez #28 of the Mets prepares to bat during the second inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Credit: Jim McIsaac
When he has stepped into the batter’s box at Citi Field in recent days, J.D. Martinez has stood out — and not just for his newness or his offensive prowess.
The Mets’ designated hitter is unlike his teammates — and everybody else in the majors — because he wears both his first and last name on the back of his uniform.
What’s up with that?
“I was in Detroit,” Martinez said, “and we had Victor Martinez.”
When the Tigers called up Martinez in April 2014, the presence of another Martinez, a far more accomplished Martinez, meant J.D.’s jersey needed to be distinguished more than just numerically. And he took what he was given by the equipment manager upon showing up.
“I said, why did you put J.D. on there?” J.D. Martinez recalled Wednesday. “He said, 'Well, you had J. Martinez on there because I had to differentiate them. So I just put another D., one more initial.’ That is it.”
Martinez broke out that season, was an All-Star the next and brought the jersey quirk — along with No. 28, which he also was merely assigned — with him to each of his ensuing stops. He has not played with another Martinez on the Tigers, Diamondbacks, Red Sox, Dodgers or Mets, but he has remained J.D. Martinez nonetheless.
“I just wore it everywhere. Why not?” he said. “That’s what I came with to the big leagues. That’s what I wore.”
That raised another question: How did Julio Daniel Martinez come to go by J.D. to begin with?
Light bullying, apparently
In the mid-1990s, when Martinez went to what he called “this really all-American” elementary school in a South Florida suburb, the other kids either couldn’t or wouldn’t pronounce “Julio.” So he adapted.
“They would call me Julia,” Martinez said. “I remember ‘Julie! Julie!’ So finally I came home one day and I was just talking to my mom. I said, 'Mom, I want a new name. Everyone is making fun of me.' She got me with J.D. ‘How about we go with J.D.?’ OK, let’s do it.”
Tyrone at the top
When he wanted to give Brandon Nimmo a game off, Carlos Mendoza knew exactly whom to turn to Wednesday: Tyrone Taylor, who in addition to manning leftfield also started at the leadoff spot for just the fourth time in his career.
Mendoza eyed that possibility during spring training, when he experimented with Taylor at the top of the lineup. The manager views Taylor as something of a utility hitter, batting everywhere but second and third already this season.
“Even though it was just a spring training game, there was a reason why we were doing it,” Mendoza said. “I do feel comfortable. I want him getting as many at-bats [as possible] against the lefty [Shota Imanaga] today. With Nimmo being down, I thought it was a good opportunity.”
Acquired in an offseason trade with the Brewers, Taylor has impressed Mets officials with his above-average defense at all three outfield spots and solid offensive production. He was batting .277 with a .720 OPS entering the day.
“I knew we were getting a pretty good player, but he’s definitely exceeded a lot of our expectations,” Mendoza said. “Not only the results that we’re seeing, but the quality of the person and how he prepares, how he goes about his business. Pretty impressive guy overall.”
Short stay
The Mets traded infielder Zack Short to the injury-ravaged Red Sox for cash.
Short, a Kingston native, won a roster spot with a strong showing in spring training. But when the Mets needed a spot for Martinez late last week, he got squeezed out.
Extra bases
Kodai Senga (right shoulder strain) will throw two simulated innings of live batting practice on Saturday, Mendoza said. That is a day later than originally planned; the Mets have said they will always give Senga extra rest if needed or desired . . . Drew Smith (right shoulder inflammation) has resumed throwing . . . The Mets wore their gray City Connect jerseys for a third time in five games since they debuted. They plan to use them for Saturday home dates, but for any given game, the starting pitcher gets a say, hence the extra wears.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.