The Yankees' $4MM deal with Russell Martin is official now that he has passed his physical, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter links). With Jorge Posada moving into a designated hitter role next year, Martin should be the Yankees' starting catcher. Since Martin has less than five years of service time, he's under team control for 2012 as an arbitration eligible player.
Martin, 28 in February, hit .248/.347/.332 in 387 plate appearances for the Dodgers before being non-tendered this month. His season ended in August due to a hairline fracture in his right hip, so his Yankees physical is not a formality. Martin was once a rising star for the Dodgers, but he turned down a $4.2MM offer (an $850K pay cut) to return in 2011, so he'll earn less guaranteed money in New York. The Red Sox and Blue Jays also bid for his services, though Boston's interest was limited. Martin is represented by Matt Colleran.
MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez first reported the agreement.
