After a week of medical reviews and some reported alterations to the language in his five-year, $110MM contract, J.D. Martinez was introduced by the Red Sox at a press conference this morning (video link via MLB.com). Seemingly, the Lisfranc foot injury that hampered Martinez early in the 2017 season served as enough of a red flag for the Sox that further work needed to be done to sort the matter out.
Agent Scott Boras met with reporters following Martinez’s introduction today, revealing that the new contract language includes the addition of a third player opt-out (after the fourth season of the contract) in exchange for some medical protection for the Red Sox (Twitter links via Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston and Mark Feinsand of MLB.com). Specifically, Drellich further reports, the Red Sox can convert both years four and five of the contract into mutual options, pursuant to the newly drawn-up language. In essence, then, the Sox have negotiated their own means of walking away from the final two years of the contract in the event that Martinez’s foot proves to be a chronic condition.
Per Drellich, should Martinez spend 60 consecutive days on the DL in year three of the contract (2020) with an injury related to his prior Lisfranc injury, the fourth year can be converted into a mutual option. Boston could also convert the fourth year to a mutual option should an injury pertaining to the prior Lisfranc issue prompt Martinez miss a combined 120 days between the second and third years of the deal (2019-20), with at least 10 of those days coming in year three. (The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo first tweeted that the team could render the fourth year a mutual option.)
Boston is similarly protected in the fifth season of the contract. If an injury pertaining to his previous Lisfranc issue causes Martinez to miss 60 consecutive days in the fourth year of the deal (2021) or a combined 120 days in 2020-21 (with at least 10 in year four), then the 2022 season can be converted to a mutual option. All determinations about whether a new Lisfranc injury for Martinez is related to the 2017 injury would be made by a panel of three doctors.
In the end, the week of back-and-forth does little to change the immediate bottom line for the Sox or Martinez. Red Sox evaluators were satisfied enough with Martinez’s health that they didn’t see fit to alter the length of the contract or the total guarantee. By all accounts, the involved parties all expect Martinez to be healthy in 2018 and serve as a potent weapon in the middle of the Boston lineup. Viewed through that lens, the medical hoops through which both sides have been jumping over the past week could all be rendered moot. If Martinez’s offense in his first two seasons with Boston mirrors his productivity over the past four seasons, he’s quite likely to exercise the first of three contractual opt-out clauses.
At that point, in order to come out ahead, Martinez would need only to top the three-year, $60MM contract which Edwin Encarnacion received last offseason when he was two years older than Martinez will be in that 2019-20 offseason. Boston would be able to make Martinez a qualifying offer, should he decide to opt out of the remaining three years of the deal. He did not receive one this offseason by virtue of being traded from the Tigers to the Diamondbacks in July.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Foot
Yeah Miss Liz Franc was my 4th grade homeroom teacher but why would the Red Sox care??
Rex Ryan had a foot fetish also.
Anyone else sick of reading about Martinez? (this isn’t a knock on the site or anything like that as it is your job to update on developing situations but my God, Red Sox and JDM, come on).
For a player that’s average, yes, very sick of him in the news. I turn to baseball bc of the crap that is in current events and I get this.
Hardy, har, har….I imagine there would be an article explaining said hold up. Don’t click it, move on.
Did you just call JD Martinez AVERAGE?? He was literally the best offensive player in Major League Baseball last year when he was healthy. He hit over .300 with an OBP around .375, and slugged an insane .690! That’s far from being an “average” player.
Don’t feed the trolls.
Best offensive player in Baseball? You should stop drinking in the morning.
Best offensive player in baseball was Mike Trout 2nd was JDM
fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&…
” literally” the best. Come on that’s different.
Back to evaluating players based off of team dependent stats again are we? Cute. See comment above with fangraphs link.
He had a great 2nd half in Arizona ! But Josh Donaldson also had a pretty good year too!
Sounds like these two camps REALLY want to commit. Geez! How many out clauses can there be!?!?
Too bad marriage contracts don’t feature this out clauses. Ones relating to prior conditions for eating disorders, leaving opportunity to re-enter market should one hope to get a better deal, or just to escape a nightmare of a situation where the whole organization of things makes you want to “retire” rather than continue on living with them.
That idea gets squashed at the altar. Until death do you part.
It’s a brilliant contract. Everyone feels like they are protected. Well done, DD!
Well done Boras!
Yeah, I think Boras sorta just saved face. He didn’t get JDM the money he said was out there, but a guaranteed $110MM with opportunity to get back out there and get more (or safely collect another $60M and ride off into the sunset) certainly feels like a win…
…so long as that foot holds up.
Don’t see how it’s brilliant at all— guy plays well and he’ll bolt. Is that brilliant?
Red Sox only want him for 2 seasons, so they are trying to give him every possibility to bolt hoping he will
These heavily front-loaded deals with opt outs are essentially the short portion with the extra years added on merely to evade Luxury Tax penalties.
Ok, I can see some validity to that. It just seems that the team loses leverage if/when the player succeeds.
If the player succeeds, the team claimed extra value during the time they had him. If someone else then signs him for more, that team takes the greater risk of decline, and a smaller chance of exceeding value, all while freeing up Bostons payroll to search for other value. Did the Cubs lose leverage with Arrieta declaring for free agency?
Shhhhh WCR is going to post 40 posts telling you that you are an idiot for saying that.
They don’t want to have to pay full price for his declining seasons, and dont want to get stuck with the AAV of the 2 year they desire his services.
Thus way they basically signed a 2/50 deal with a LuxTax hit of only 22/per. He opts out and they get DP compensation. He decides he likes it there and wants to stay, they pay him just 22 for the 3rd season. They still can’t get rid of him then then they will only be on the hook for I believe it’s 17 per on the final two seasons
There is really no downside for the club at all when you lay it out. They cheat the Tax system, get the 2 year deal they desire, get the DP when he ideally leaves or at least pay a much lower rate if he doesnt.
And considering they baked in injury clauses into this deal, they have even protected themselves in that regard.
This deal is great for Boston and not that great at all for JD when you factor what he wanted and will now go thru after 2 seasons
The $23.75 million salary each of the 1st two years, $2.5 million opt out payout and the $10 million signing bonus would be included in the money that JDM receives, but if he opts out the Red Sox are only responsible for the $22 million AAV
JD gets hurt so often. It’s easy to imagine something other than his foot causing him to miss significant time.
Which would not invalidate his contract. Only a recurrence of the previous Lisfranc injury
“Only a recurrence of the previous Lisfranc injury”
ONLY? Lisfranc injury is what ended Allen Craig’s career. (Signed minor league deal with Pads, Good luck on the Pads, Mr. Craig!)
Red Sox are smart. Some athletes can make it back from Lisfranc injuries (Eric Decker, I pointed out before here, suffered this injury in college, before overcoming it, becoming star in NFL)
I Wonder if Allen Craig, had anything to do with this.? Craig was released with $11M remaining on his contract, plus $1M buyout on his 2018 team option) Lisfranc injury is what ended Craig’s career.
Yes, JD Martinez’s 2017 season was borderline historic, because of the damage he managed to do to major league pitching, in limited playing time. But Lisfranc injuries are extremely, rare, frightening, and concerning. Mutual options for both sides in fourth and fifth years, if JD suffers Lisfranc injury symptoms? I don’t care if JD got five opt outs, in five years. Give DD, an A+ for protecting himself from this career-ender (if JD suffers/re-suffers another Lisfranc)
I’m a Jets fan. This is the type of injury, that ended Santonio Holmes’ career (2008 Super Bowl MVP)
After 2013, he signed a one year contract with the Bears, managed an anemic 67 yards on 8 receptions, and was never seen, or heard from again. (Until his retirement ceremony three years later, 2017 with Steelers)
nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000212508/article/santon…
xabial,
The article is not even talking about a “recurrence” anyway – it very clearly states “injury related to” so it is likely much, much broader
Some lucky ones make it back, and some don’t. It depends on the severity of the Lisfranc injury in question.
Point being, as a fan, I don’t want a player, having anything to do with this injury?
Here’s what the article said about Holmes’ Lisfranc injury (career-ender, in hindsight)
“Holmes revealed that his Lisfranc fracture was diagnosed as a Grade 4 injury, which is the most serious variety. He had a joint separation and a muscle tear in the middle of his foot, according to ESPNNewYork.com. A plate was removed in a March follow-up surgery, but two screws will remain in his foot permanently.”
The good news? JD is clearly a beast! And the Lisfranc injury he suffered in the past, *clearly* wasn’t as severe. I just want nothing to do with this injury. I give DD an A+ in contract negotiation preventing problems in years 4 and 5 if Lisfranc nightmare re-occurrence pops up. I didn’t even know JD had a Lisfranc injury, in his past.
Wasn’t Craig’s injury a broken lisfranc bone? JDM’s was to the ligament. I’m not positive on Craig’s…
Exactly.. Such a rare convoluted injury… I really didn’t mean to scare you guys, Lol
I give DD A+ turning his injury related to his prior Lisfranc injury into leverage, to turn years 4-5 into Mutual options, if ANYTHING related to his prior Lisfranc injury, re-emerges.
Probably made his deal even more team-friendly deal, Lol
Didn’t Albert Pujols have surgery for that on his foot before
So JD having a chronic condition gets him another player opt out? Nice…
No it sounds like it was a negotiation necessity. Sox wanted some protection. J.D. wanted some additional protection as well in case he comes to Boston and rakes 40-50 doubles off the monster and hits 30 homers, he has a chance to get himself another mega-deal.
If he doesn’t, the 5th year $17 mil won’t break the Red Sox bank.
Because this contract is so front-loaded, the opt outs I don’t think bother DD. Just my hunch/take on it.
But from reading the article, it seems the third opt out was added only after they began discussing language around the injury (so after the original agreement) Am I reading that wrong?
That’s what it sounds like to me as well. It sounds like the Sox wanted medical provisions and Boras said ok, but in return give me a 3rd opt out. As the last 2 years are so cheap, the Sox were like ok whatever because it doesn’t really hurt them to be tied up for an extra 1 year and 17 mil.
That’s just bad negotiating by Boston. Why should they have to give anything when it’s JD’s medical history that’s the problem? Boras has them in the palm of his hand.
Red Sox only want him for 2 years. The rest is to avoid luxury taxes and let Boras save face
The only way the last opt-out comes into play is if JD plays poorly/is hurt in the first 3 years, does great in 4 and tries to get more than 17 on the rebound. …very unlikely situation, and Boston would almost certainly want him gone at that point anyway
The problem Free is that he didn’t want to sign with Boston. Once again the Sox signed a player only because they wanted the most money and are willing to subject themselves to the abuse that the fans and press will put on him.
So JD gets the $& guaranteed and if he experiences the same that others have he just waves and smiles as he flips them the bird.
Go away troll.
The Red Sox really aren’t that protected at all. Boras did a number on them.
In actuality, most injuries cannot be medically traced to any one cause or relation. If JDM does end up chronically injured, it will be very difficult for the Red Sox to ever collect enough objective evidence to prove that a future injury is directly attributable to this condition.
Without that evidence, Red Sox can’t do anything, since the burden is on them to substantiate such a claim.
They were able to prove this on Lackey. You have to remember, the organization has more money and focus than the player does on these things. If they want to try to tie a knee injury to his elbow, they will figure out a way to do it if the relationship goes sour.
I think in this case, the feeling is that this is not like Lackey, who was at risk of losing full seasons due to the nature of his elbow. Martinez is more likely to miss a few weeks. That’s why the language of the contract says that he has to miss substantial time or it really has to be a constant nagging injury. But it is not like he has chronic back pain like Wright or a partially torn UCL like Tanaka. This is a much less risky situation for the Sox. Personally I think the language is fair enough.
The player would be backed by the players union
Without knowing the language of the contract, you have zero way of knowing what all the protections are.
For all we know it specificly covers everything up to say hip injuries sustained from a poor batting stance as JD was compensating for an injury in his foot.
The fact all this stuff is even in there is not good for JD, as Boston has already indicated they will likely do what they can to get out of this deal after the 2 years they want him for
From the article by Drellich, we know it only covers a recurrence of the previous Lisfranc injury.
His article very clearly states “an injury related to his prior Lisfranc injury” (a “related to” phrase repeated a couple times) …that isn’t saying a recurrence of the injury, its saying complications stimming from said injury – which we have no idea what all complication possibilities they decided to protect themselves from since no one, including Drellich, has read the contract
I really enjoyed a bit on MLB Network Radio this morning that featured Scott Boras. This was probably one of his most down to earth intelligent interviews I’ve seen, as sometimes I can find him unbearably over the top and black and white. He really emphasizes the gray area that exists currently between analytics and understanding the game of baseball and intangibles as well as discussing when a team is doing the smart thing by not getting involved in the free agent market vs. when owners are getting greedy and not being fair to the fans in fielding a competitive team. If you missed this interview, I hope you can find a copy, because it really changed quite a bit of my perspective about how Boras fights for his clients.
Well done by Dombrowski and Boras in working out enough language that both sides felt protected and J.D. felt valued. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with that Green Monster in Fenway., I agree that while last season was probably not what you can expect every year, there is a chance that in a 150-162 game season, Martinez could even surpass (from an overall stat line, I don’t expect him to be around 50 homers) what he did last season. DH’ing will likely help him stay on the field. The opt outs offer him ample protection should he choose to opt out, which the Sox also wouldn’t mind because it means they still got him without committing beyond their comfortable years.
On another note, these contracts are getting way too complicated! I can hardly follow some of them! What happened to a good ‘ol 5-7 year $100 mil with maybe a rare no trade clause? Those were much easier. Now you have opt outs, deferred money is more common, health provisions, etc. Its getting wild. What’s next?
Hey faithful…those kind of contracts allow teams to make PRICE errors, if you know what I mean. And if you dont, keep watching because he’s another player who will slide with poor health.
You almost get the feeling that the Red Sox either don’t care or would actually welcome the opt-outs. They buy two hard years of Martinez, when he’s younger, and if he shoots the lights out, they pay a lot of money, get a lot of production (maybe a WS) and then he leaves, freeing up money for their younger starts. If he’s seriously injured (with the Lisfranc) in year 2, he probably won’t opt out—but then the Red Sox get to make year 4 a mutual option.
The contract would be better for the Red Sox if JDM couldn’t opt out. They would be able to free up that money by trading him.
The NTC makes trading him much harder. Not impossible, but difficult and limits the Red Sox return.
If JDM had no opt-outs, he would not be a Red Sox now.
Those opt-outs are what allowed the Red Sox to sign him to an AAV low enough money that it kept them from going over the $237 million mark on payroll that would have kicked in the 42.5% CBT penalty. If they paid him the 5/125 that they were rumored to have offered originally, then it would have cost them an additional 30% per dollar over $197 million. That is a buttload of money they saved by giving him an opt out. From what we are hearing on WEEI and MLB Network radio. The Red Sox were adamant about staying under $237 million and JDM seemed to really want to play there but wanted more than 5/125. With this contract paying $23.75 million in each of the first two years, a $2.5 million option payout, and a $10 million signing bonuses deferred to 2021 and 2022, the Red Sox get the AAV they need to stay under the huge CBT penalties at $23.75 million and JDM gets the money he wants to sign, $60 million guaranteed if he opts out after 2 years, and a chance to earn more than the $50 million that would be left on his deal if he opts out after 2 years. Everyone wins.
If they are winning rings, do you really think he will opt out?
Oh the horror. If only any player with a NTC ever consented to a trade. Oh wait…
You can try to spin it however you want, but the contract would be better from the team’s POV if it didn’t have the opt-outs. An opt-out allows the team to sign the player for less BECAUSE opt-outs are strictly player friendly.
The Red Sox don’t win if JDM opts out because they lose a guy who they have signed for below market value.
If he thinks he can get more than whatever is left on his contract, then he absolutely will opt out.
Winning rings? He would need to opt out and get NYY to want him for whatever reason. I do think it’s a smart structured contact that’s fair to team and player.
Contract
Three player opt-outs has to be a MLB record.
Until next season!
+1
I remember when player opt outs weren’t all that common, until the Dodgers made it a thing. (Who could forget Zach Greinke opting out and getting $200M? 😉 )
Nobody really got 2 player opt-outs, until the Cubs did it with Heyward.
Now JD Martinez got three. How do you feel about this becoming the new norm?
Question. Do you see three playing out as the new norm, or an outlier because of JD Martinez’s medical concerns, that popped out in the Red Sox physical?
I think the reason we’re seeing so many opt outs lately is that adding them historically hasn’t backfired (maybe you could say it did with Greinke). I predict that a couple of these guys with opt outs are going to perform very well and then leave, prompting teams to stop giving them out, realizing that they can turn out pretty badly if the player overperforms.
Overperforms? What is that?
If the player over performs while my team has him, how does that work out badly? My team profits big, and then has money to spend.
It works out badly because they lose a player who they have signed for below market value.
Well stymeedone what if he player does NOT over perform? Then you are unilaterally screwed!
Exactly ! The opt outs are only good for the player only! Never the team! This is not that hard to see.
It backfired with Greinke because without the opt-out the Dodgers would have had him signed to a ridiculously team-friendly contract.
Yes, no question on big dollar contracts
Heavily front loading the deal then giving an opt-out the player is likely to take is a LuxTax loophole teams are exploiting right now.
Like in this case Boston gets the guy they want for the 2 years they want him at the high AAV he wants, but their books show a much lower AAV when it comes tax-time
Until MLB cracks down on this, I anticipate it will be pretty common on big contracts
Can not be changed until the next CBA.
You listed 99% likely scenario, but not impossible.
MLBPA did away with special “milestone” bonus clauses and ‘personal services’ contracts before.
Perks players got for reaching 3,000 hits…etc. Those were banned. Pujols was the last. The “milestone” bonus in Pujols’ deal could pay him up to $10 million in “marketing” payouts — $3M for his 3,000th hit, and $7M if he breaks Bonds’ home run record.
MLBPA cracked down on personal service contracts, after Washington incorporated it into Ryan Zimmerman’s $100M extension.
Baseball did it because they were trying to close loopholes that teams might be able to use to avoid paying a luxury tax , and both of these provisions fall under that heading because neither milestone bonuses nor personal-services deals are considered to be guaranteed money.
If he opts out it means the Sox would have wanted him longer than 2 years
My take is that “both sides” wanted opt outs.
Opt outs are a good thing and may become the new norm.
Provided the union doesn’t interfere.
Sort an incentive clause without being a violation of union contractual rules.
It’s about time after players like Sandoval, Crawford, Ellsbury, etc..(the list goes on).
No one minds paying a player that produce and lives up to expectations. This defines expectations better.
These opt outs are for the players that don’t live up to expectations.
So in effect, the expectations are built into the contract and if they are not met or exceeded either side can move on.
This is a fairer way.
Only if its caused by this specific injury. If he doesnt take to Dhing, and his numbers drop, they will still be stuck with him.
Opt outs are a good thing for both parties.
Nope. Only for the party that can opt out.
Correct answer. “Only for the party that can opt out”.
So that’s why it’s in the interest of each party to get the opt outs they want and to limit or eliminate the opt outs they don’t want.
Let’s also be clear, in an ideal world both parties prefer performance and success.
Which is why we have a contract to begin with.
Better to think of it like a marriage with a prenuptial agreement.
Pasha you are naive if you believe opt outs benefit both sides
No they are NOT! Just the player!
Clearly this isn’t a match made in heaven here but props to DD for managing to protect the Red Sox incase things blow up. Looking forward to a good rivalry once more.
Interesting info coming from MLB Network radio. Last season the Red Sox got a -0.7 WAR from the DH position. JDM is projected to produce 3.4 – 3.5 WAR from the DH position. That is over a 4 win improvement. Today in Vegas the Red Sox over/under for wins increased by 3 so the casinos agree with the WAR improvement to an extent.
Another thing that struck me about their conversation was that the DH position automatically deflates WAR because there is not only no defense included, it is considered a negative defensive position.
Who will hit the DL first? JD or Price?
For all you Sox/DD haters get over it. They wanted Kimbrel, Price, Pomerantz, Sale, JDM, Nunez, & Moreland. and were willing to give up the prospects & $$$ to get them. No one knows whether it will result in a title or not but they are in the first tier with HOU, LAD, NYY, CUBS, Wash, CLE.
They are definite contenders
Here’s where the baseball fan world is hypocritical as all get out. The Red Sox are being praised for doing their due diligence and altering the terms of a contract because of a lingering medical issue. If this had been the Orioles, the whole world would have ripped them because of their “unreasonable physicals” and “paranoid response to injuries”, calling out the O’s for being the worst front office in baseball, etc. As an O’s fan, I’m sick and tired of everyone dumping on my team.
Rather than think of the Orioles as being ripped for opt outs why not think of the teams that don’t work on their opt outs as “IDIOTS”
Anybody for “Beer and Fried Chicken in the Clubhouse” …. ?
Well the Orioles have unreasonable physicals, the worst front office in baseball and a terrible owner
Hope the King is ok!