The five-year contract that the Red Sox signed with J.D. Martinez is now just a few months away from completion, as the slugger will be heading into free agency at the end of this season. He recently spoke with Rob Bradford of WEEI about the possibility of signing an extension and essentially said that it’s not something he thinks about much.
“That’s a Scott question. I trust Scott,” Martinez said, in reference to his agent, Scott Boras. “If Scott came to me and said, ‘Hey, this is a good deal, I think you should do it.’ I would say, ‘Let’s do it.’ If Scott says, ‘No, I think you should wait until free agency,’ then I will wait until free agency.”
Martinez is on pace to have the best season of his career at the age of 34, as he is currently hitting .380/.430/.599 (coming into tonight’s game). That production amounts to a wRC+ of 197, or 97% better than league average, easily eclipsing his career high 170 from 2018, his first year in Boston. That also places him third among qualified hitters in all of baseball going into tonight’s action, trailing only Mike Trout and Aaron Judge.
With that incredible level of production, it would be understandable for his eyes to turn into dollar signs, but that’s not where his head is at. “I don’t know if I’m the only person but I never think about any of this crap,” Martinez said. “I only think about what I have to do. I hired the best people to advise me in that situation. That’s it. You’ve known me for five years now and it’s the same answers after a good game or a bad game. It never changes. I’m the most boring interview. That’s just how my mind works.”
More notes from Beantown…
- Another key member of the Red Sox lineup is Rafael Devers. Unlike Martinez, he’s just 25 years old and is still a year and a half away from free agency. Reportedly, he and the team were far apart in Spring Training extension talks, though that door doesn’t appear to be closed. “Growing up as a kid, this was my favorite team. To be able to sign with this club, it meant a lot,” Devers tells Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. “We had those [contract] talks during spring training and they didn’t work out. But when the time is right, we’ll have those discussions after the season and see where it goes from there, because obviously I love this place. I want to be here and it’s just a matter of just finding the right formula.” Like Martinez, Devers is also on pace to have his best season yet, as he’s hitting .335/.366/.600 for a wRC+ of 176. He also might have improved on the other side of the ball, as the advanced defensive metrics aren’t quite as pessimistic on his work this year as last year. It’s been suggested that Devers might have to move off third base eventually due to poor glovework, with Outs Above Average giving him a -13 last year, while Defensive Runs Saved also gave him -13 and Ultimate Zone Rating landed at -5.5. This year, those numbers are currently at -1, -1 and +1, with over a quarter of the season in the books.
- A big wildcard for the remainder of Boston’s season is what they will get from Chris Sale moving forward. The lefty has been out of action all year due to a stress fracture in his rib cage. Speier reports that the team still expects Sale to return as a starter, with the club hoping he can ramp up relatively quickly because his injuries aren’t related to his arm. Manager Alex Cora told reporters, including Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, that Sale threw a 25-pitch bullpen today. The next steps will be to throw a few more times before going out on a rehab assignment and building back up to game shape. Pitchers are allowed to rehab for 30 days, so it seems like Sale has a shot at returning by July, though that will depend on how things progress between now and then.
Anyone else getting a cult vibe from Martinez? He’ll do whatever “Scott” tells him? Is that how he gets to meet Xenu?
Anyone who says they wouldn’t have Boras as an agent is a liar.
He’s paying a man to advise him and he takes his advice, understanding that his agent is better equipped to navigate contract issues than he is. Sounds to me like a smart vibe.
Fink – I totally agree, but I’d also add it’s imperative the player expresses his wishes to his agent even if they are contrary to the agent’s wishes.
For instance if the player really enjoys playing in Boston and is willing to accept a Red Sox offer that’s $3M less than another team’s offer, he needs to convey that to his agent. Because otherwise, the agent will always recommend the largest contract offer. Not a surprise, considering the agent gets a percentage of whichever contract is signed.
Regarding Sale, I’ll believe it when I see it.
Regarding Devers, he’s earned an extension and he’s not even in his prime yet.
Regarding JD, a 3-year contract would be low risk. He’s been very consistent for a very long time. Great teammate, great mentor, the consummate professional. I bet his teammates learn more from JD about hitting than they do from the multitude of hitting coaches employed by the team.
Martinez is a dinosaur at this point I could honestly care less. No one on Boston impresses me to tell you the truth. Yankees are perched in first place while Boston is back to being what they were before their fluke run. They will go back to being the losers that I promise you. Fans in Boston are happier when they are losing they get all drunked up at the stadium and complain about how much the Red Sox suck. It’s how things are meant to be.
*couldn’t care less…
However, that’s not true because you decided to post a rambling, weird, nonsensical statement.
I couldn’t care less about Boston, but your obsession had to be called out.
If he’s a dinosaur in baseball terms, with a wRC+ of 197 he’s a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Not the best troll job I’ve seen from you but it still got a decent reaction. Your Whit Merrifield to the Yankees proposal last summer will be hard to ever top
The Red Sox have won four World Series since the Yankees last won one. Losers? Keep telling yourself that.
gbs – That’s not true, but A for effort.
Sox have won two since the Yankees last won one.
Fever, my bad. I’m no fan of theirs, but the Red Sox are anything but losers.
NY loser
Stupendous DBag.
Someone is out of touch with baseball
With Boras corp as Skubal’s agent, Detroit should have a chance to get J.D. if they realize they need him when the season ends. The way Miggy is playing now, it could be he’s on the team for a few more years, so maybe if J.D. can’t play left, they may not get him.
Greene comes up to Detroit soon, so that has to play out as well. Detroit has some very speedy outfielder’s and if they start hitting, as they are almost all rookies, it would not leave a spot for J.D in the outfield either. Like J.D said, he has the best agent, so nothing to worry about. J.D was a real fan favorite here in Detroit, and is always welcome here.
There are some people who need to go, before the end of the year! Starting with Chaim Bloom, and the bull pen.
You want to get Dombrowski back?
Dombrowski can’t come back, he’s busy gutting the Philadelphia’s Minor Leagues. But at least, the Phillies are mediocre now.
And Cora
Sale has got to be shot at this point, right?
As we saw tonight, the bullpen is trash.
It’s asinine why we have Whitlock starting when he’s proven to be better in the pen. Make Whitlock the closer and build the pen around him. Seriously. It’s common sense. As much as we want him to be a future starter, what about winning in the present?
I don’t see us going anywhere period, but certainly without at least one reliable bullpen arm.
So say you put Whitlock back in the pen. Who makes his starts?
Whitlock has been a starter his whole minor league career. He only went to relieving, so he could ease back from surgery. I would bet Whitlock is pushing to remain a starter too.
There is far more value in a good starter over a good reliever. Also, relievers are a dime a dozen at trading deadline. Moving him back, instead of maximizing his value as a starter, is not smart. Bullpen has been good so far this season, last night does not erase that. Obtain another reliever is a much better strategy.
Pedey – I’m fine with Whitlock as a reliever, but not this year and not as a closer.
They’ve already stretched him out, when you make too many transitions between rotation and pen it can really mess up the pitcher psychologically. It’s also easier and cheaper to trade for a quality reliever than it is for a quality starter.
Whitlock is too much of a contact pitcher to be a closer. Look at his strikeout percentage, it’s far lower than most quality closers. To be an effective closer, you need to be able to come into the game with runners in scoring position and not let them advance. It is especially imperative now with the ghost runner rule.
But what will they get from Sale moving backward?
Trade them all. They’re going nowhere with this dogsh*t bullpen
For some reason, the Sox very seldom have a capable down-the-line bullpen. And when they acquire one, it’s a joke. Carson Smith, Andrew Bailey, Mark Melancon, Tyler Thornburg, Eric Gagne, etc., etc. That bullpen in right field must have a curse.
Milt -Some of those pitchers you named had health issues, can’t blame the Sox for that.
But under Dombrowski, Cherington and Epstein the Sox have had mostly stellar bullpens. Koji, Pap, Kimbrel … those guys were darn near perfect for a very long stretch of time. Foulke was brilliant his first year, then got overused in the postseason and was never the same. Joe Kelly was absolutely dominating for the 2018 team.
I think the problem is Bloom keeps trying to go with the Rays style of putting together and managing a bullpen, and it’s failing miserably. Even last year he had to rely on starting pitchers to get big outs in relief.
Fever, true on many points. I just think Boston’s pen is cursed at times. Even going back to guys like Mark Clear and Bill Campbell (who at least had one good year). They get a top-notch bullpen guy and something happens. He’s hurt or he blows up. Also, you’re right on about Bloom’s style. It isn’t like he has a track record of championships. It’s like when Dan Duqette tried to mold them after the Expos in the 90’s.
milt – That’s true, the Sox have acquired talented relievers who ended up getting hurt. Soup is definitely one of them, and I’m surprised you didn’t mention Hanrahan who was very dominant until getting hurt right after the trade. Of course the Pomeranz trade was totally unethical on Preller’s part, i still don’t know why the Sox didn’t rescind that trade when they had the chance. And the Kim trade was just plain stupid, his demeanor on the mound in the 2001 WS convinced me that was not a guy I wanted closing games for the Sox. The whole “Closer By Committee” was a disaster.
But on the flip side, the Sox at times have been blessed with good fortune when it comes to relievers. Miller became dominant and managed to stay healthy, then was flipped for ERod. Flash went from a very mediocre SP to a dominant closer with the Sox.
The Bard situation was very disappointing, such great stuff but obviously became a total headcase.
Obviously this is not working! Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is one definition of insanity Mr. Bloom. The older guys that are lost need to disappear in some fashion including Diekman, Sawamura, and Barnes. Sale will reappear soon enough, hopefully a bit later Paxton, but in the mean time use guys like Winkowski, Brayan Bello, and Phillips Valdez, even Cutter Crawford to go 2-3 innings piggybacking a starter. Maybe one of Crawford, Winkowski, Bello,or Seabold can start instead of Whitlock. This crap bullpen has lost every one of his starts anyway. Then get Garrett either back to doing what he was great at, 2-3 innings, 2-3 times a week, or give him a try at closing. He could be good at that. But Mr Cora, starting Whitlock is not working, no matter how long you force the issue. Oh yea, and Bobby Dalbec is completely lost again this year! Get him back to Woostah until he figures it out. Since Casa is hurt replace him with Fitzgerald, who certainly deserves an opportunity. I am sick and tired of only giving opportunities to the players that Bloom has traded for, signed, or drafted. Yes, great dance when Franchy went bridge for the walkoff slam, but really you seem to only care that your Benetendi trade looks less awful for a couple days. Use the whole team not just your personal additions, or go away yourself you self seeking slacker!
KD is that you?
“starting Whitlock is not working, no matter how long you force the issue.”—
Whitlock has started 7 games, and has given up more than 2 runs TWICE. Whitlock has been a starter his whole career, and was only made a middle reliever to ease back from surgery. I don’t know how you’d think 7 games doing anything is “forcing the issue”.
“only care that your Benetendi trade looks”—“use guys like Winkowski”—
Winkowski came over in Benetendi trade as well. So, that makes no sense. Wouldn’t promoting Wink, make the trade look better? Besides, after a slow start, Cordero is hitting well (.271/.338/.441 in May). You want to give up on him NOW?
Before your next comment, please do 2 minutes of research before you type. You seem to know very little about the Red Sox.
insanity (noun): the state of being seriously mentally ill; madness
Star in, do your own homework! And try reading for content. I said not one word about Cordero. I’m in favor of using anyone who works including guys who Bloom acquired. Whitlock has not pitched bad when starting although certainly not as well as when coming in for long relief, the problem is that the games he has started the sox have gone on to lose, as opposed to having him come in from the pen and hold the opponents to few if any runs, and contributing to a win. Try having your coffee in the morning before commenting.
“I said not one word about Cordero”
Lol, so when you said “Franchy” you were talking about someone besides Franchy Cordero?
Do you even understand yourself?
Starvin,