MLB Rumors: Why Red Sox do NOT need to re-sign J.D. Martinez
There are a lot of big questions surrounding the Boston Red Sox heading into the 2022 off-season. What will happen with beloved shortstop Xander Bogaerts?
Will the Red Sox extend All-star third baseman and rising superstar Rafael Devers?
Can the Red Sox get adequate pitching this off-season?
But one question people are also asking is what the Red Sox should do regarding the upcoming free agency for designated hitter J.D. Martinez. Should they offer J.D. the qualifying offer? Do they let him walk to a new team? Do they just re-sign J.D. Martinez all together?
My opinion? The Red Sox should let the designated hitter walk in free agency and here are a few reasons as to why.
J.D. Martinez’s age in regard to the Boston Red Sox future
The Red Sox are a team that needs to keep their core all together for the near future. The right side of their infield is 22 (Triston Casas) and 29 (Trevor Story). They also have Bogaerts to resign, who is 29 years old, along with a 25 year old Devers.
J.D. Martinez is entering his age 35/36 season. Do the Red Sox really want to give a multiyear offer to a guy that has been primarily a DH for his career? I’d be foolish to say yes to that question.
The Red Sox want that core that is going to win for a long time. As great as J.D. Martinez was from 2018-2022, he’s in the “back nine” of his MLB career.
J.D. Martinez’s power dropping for the Boston Red Sox
As the years went on in his Red Sox tenure, we noticed a bad pattern with J.D. Martinez. The power numbers for J.D. went down, in each of his four full seasons with the Boston Red Sox.
We’ll exclude 2020 because it was a much shortened season due to COVID.
In 2018, Martinez hit 43 homeruns and 130 RBI’s. 2019 saw the slugger hitting for 36 homeruns and 105 RBI’s, still a pretty good season. 2021 saw Martinez hitting 28 homeruns and 99 RBI’s. Then came the dreadful 2022 season of 16 homeruns and 62 RBI’s.
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You seeing what I’m seeing? We’ve heard all of the rumors of J.D. thinking he knows exactly what he needs to do for next season. But can us Red Sox fans really wait for the DH to figure it out? I think not!
The bottom line with J.D. Martinez regarding the Boston Red Sox
J.D. Martinez was an All-star in his four full MLB seasons with the Red Sox. He did a lot of great things here. That 2018 season? Seemed like he could get every big hit the Red Sox needed.
But it’s time to move on.
3 issues Chaim Bloom needs to address this off-season. dark. Next
The Red Sox have many other areas they need to address, before they even thought about J.D. Martinez. The pitching needs help. Fans want the left side of their infield in tact for the next 5-10 years.
You can replace J.D. Martinez with some other options in free agency, or via a trade. So again, thanks for everything you did in Boston, J.D. Martinez. But if I’m Chaim Bloom, I’m using that money on other parts of this team that frantically needs it!