The Red Sox agreed to a minor league contract with reliever Seth Martinez, as first reported by Andrew Parker of Sox Prospects. He’ll get a non-roster invitation to MLB camp.
Martinez has pitched in the majors in five straight seasons. He got a decent amount of run in the Astros’ middle relief corps from 2022-24. He didn’t get as much big league work last year, only making it into six games for the Marlins. Martinez gave up four runs with three walks and four strikeouts across 6 2/3 innings.
The 31-year-old righty spent the majority of the year with Miami’s Triple-A club. He pitched to a 3.71 ERA behind a 29% strikeout rate over 43 2/3 frames. Martinez routinely posts strong whiff numbers in the minors and has fanned more than 30% of opponents with a sub-3.00 ERA in five Triple-A seasons. His flat 4.00 earned run average and 20.5% strikeout percentage in 117 MLB appearances are more solid than great.
Martinez only sits around 90 MPH with his fastball. He frequently relies on his breaking ball while mixing in a changeup. He’s out of options, meaning the Sox would need to keep him on the big league roster or expose him to waivers if they call him up at any point.
Going full throttle!
Good thing we have enough prospects to fill our minor league teams.No need for this guy.Let’s go get Jacob Degrom.Older veteran.Has playoff experience.
Looks like he will eat innings in Spring Training and then be DFA’d.
well at least the Sox signed SOMEONE
No comment needed…
Minor league players aren’t on the 40 man and as such don’t need to be DFA’d. They can just be released.
This has been a moment of pointless pedantry with Mule.
We knew what he meant and so did you.
If no one decides to pick him up, he can accept a minor league assignment can’t he ?
Yes we knew what he meant. That’s why I pointed out I was engaging in pedantry. But to answer your question, since he signed a minor league deal the Red Sox own his rights for this season unless they release or trade him regardless of what happens in Spring Training. Most likely he’s AAA depth.
Now if they do call him up they can’t send him down again without exposing him to waivers.
Thank you for the further clarification in addition to what you already wrote. I for one certainly don’t know those details so I appreciate it.
This is only a puzzle piece in a broader strategy. When it all comes together people will gather years from now in awe and share stories about what the Red Sox were able to pull off in the 2025/6 off seasons and pass it down from generation to generation……… or not. Who knows?
Tarik Skubal and the Tigers are about to break up. The team is going to tell the arbitrator why Skubal doesn’t deserve $32 million. Most people don’t like to hear this from their boss. The Sox are going to swoop in and grab him, and it will cost less than most think. Breslow is going to look like a genius.
Dorothy, wake up!
Oh, Toto…
Apparently in the 3rd arbitration you can use FA signings as comps. So Skubal will lay his back to back Cy Young’s out there and then show how Wheeler got 42MM AAV, deGeom 37, Snell 36, etc and I think there’s a shot he actually gets the 32 number.
Mid-20’s is where the number SHOULD be, but the tigers decided to cheap out on the number they filed at.
I’ve said the same thing, and will continue to say the same thing, until my nap is over. But there is a decent chance he is traded, and almost certainly to a playoff contender. He will sign with someone with a huge revenue stream.
The RS? Probably not, but there is no reason to think it is impossible.
Is that like Pedro’s dentist?
If you had Red Sox jersey with Martinez written on the back; how many players of the past could it be for?
Ai says 4…Pedro, Ramon, Manny, JD
Manny Martinez? I thought that was just JD‘s nickname after he had a three home run game?
Lol you .might be right..the ai might have been thrown off but there was a bullpen catcher named “mani” martinez
Nevermind that AI stuff, I want to hear from you. Was Dave Martinez ever a red sock?
Joey will now overrule AI, as it should be:
Pedro
JD
Victor!
Ramon
Anastacio
According to Baseball Reference, there have been 8 players with the last name Martinez on the Red Sox: Anastacio Martinez (2004), J.D Martinez (2018-2022), Michael Martinez (2016), Pedro Martinez (1998-2004), Ramon Martinez (1999-2000), Sandy Martinez (2004), and Victor Martinez (2009-2010). Seth would be the 9th Martinez to appear in a MLB game with the Red Sox.
Baseball reference is cheating smarty pantz you must be fun at the local tap settling all saloon salon discussions with your little google device
Yes….yes I am
Baseball reference? C’mon! Use your own brain.
Names on the back of their jerseys are for chumps (or away jerseys). Better question is how come home jerseys in baseball and basketball are typically white vs football and hockey having the home team wear the darker colors?
Solid contribution Sean P always wondered that about hocky in particular. Football wondered why Cowboys were the exception Blue on the road
Perplexing
Wow! New closer? His ERA and WHIP are pretty good. Next John Smoltz, Eckersley, Papelbon, Koji?
Uh….wot?
He’s bringing that vintage 90-MPH heat from 1974
Sox certainly seem to be in a holding pattern, currently filling out the S.T. roster.
I guess their other offers aren’t as “aggressive” or “competitive” as maybe we were lead to believe(?)
Jim Duquette is on a cable baseball hotstove show and he keeps asking this question of new-school POBOs, “are you trying to sign the best players or get the best value?” He goes on to explain that the very few cases of a quality player (perhaps with a qualifying offer) falling into that one year high aav contract (ala Bregman last year) where you get both, are few and far between, but more than that cost you the opportunity to get other players, and finally, dont work out as the player usually moves on to greener pastures.
Are we one of those teams that care more about value than longer term quality roster construction?
I’m sure their outstanding offers were very aggressive. Aggressively underwhelming, that is. So in the meantime they’ll just piddle around waiting to see if they can find “alignment” in the kiddie pool.
Hard to label offers outstanding when they fail to move the needle. More like cromulent offers: born to underwhelm
The last person anyone should be taking advice from is Jim Duquette.
That depends. I like Bregman for the RS because his contract might not be onerous, and the fit is compelling.
Great reliever with the Astros. Enjoy Boston.
I’m an Astros fan and I’ve watched Martinez pitch. He can be an opener, and is among the best depth you can have. Give him 5 days of rest, and he can throw innings for you. He can throw multiple innings, I really like him, sidearmer, doesn’t blow you with heat, but he is a really nice piece to have and hopefully he can be part of the everyday bullpen with Boston or another major league club.
Another massive coup by the BoSox this winter.
Solid pickup. Give him some innings.
Last year about 500 innings were pitched by 11-35. Top 10 guys pitched about 1,000 innings. So you need 10-20 pitchers for those extra 500 innings. It would be nice if they were at least decent. That’s where this guy comes in.
Here comes the velo squad! Watch him throw 97 by the end of the season :p
Sign both Bregman and bichette Get Skubal next season. Or peralta this one
Go get Skubal now lol. With how far the salary figures are for arbitration, I don’t think Skubal will be getting extended. In fact, he’s probably not too happy with that 19MM figure. There’s still time to work things out for sure.
But hey, order then some decent package of prospects headlines by one of the pitchers – but not too much because he’s technically a rental. Then make the trade contingent on him signing an extension – this has happened before look up Sonny Gray in 2019.
Package for Skubal will be a little more than what would be needed for Peralta, but definitely worth it.
they actually spent money? off season over.