All of the goodwill the Boston Red Sox built in late April is now gone as May winds down. After fighting to get their record above .500, the Red Sox are 6-10 since the beginning of the month, falling to 23-25 in the process. Even though there are still about four months left in the 2025 campaign, Boston must start playing better if it wants to make the playoffs.
While life hasn't exactly been great for the current Red Sox squad, the same can be said of some of the franchise's former players. In fact, one ex-Boston slugger still hasn't found another MLB playing opportunity despite the season's second month nearly being over.
Former Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez Still Looking for Job in May
Even though June is almost here, several names are still stewing in free agency, including ex-Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez. The six-time MLB All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger hasn't landed an opportunity since playing with the New York Mets last season, leaving time to tell if he'll be employed before the season is over.
On Apr. 10, MLB insider Jon Heyman reported that Martinez "is hitting and staying ready while waiting for a job." Unfortunately, very little progress has been made after over a month, which isn't exactly promising for the five-time 30-home run hitter.
Martinez began his career as a 2009 20th-round pick by the Houston Astros, playing three seasons in the Lone Star State, followed by stops with the Detroit Tigers and Arizona Diamondbacks. The Miami, FL native eventually made his way to Boston in 2018 when he signed a five-year, $110 million contract with the Red Sox.
He became an immediate fan favorite, racking up an MLB-leading 130 RBIs and 358 total bases (along with 43 home runs) in his first Red Sox campaign, helping lead the club to a 2018 World Series title. He ended up playing five total seasons in Beantown, finishing his tenure with 130 HRs, 423 RBIs, 270 walks, and a .292/.363/.526 slash line.
Since leaving Boston, Martinez has played on back-to-back one-year contracts with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Mets. Although his Dodgers campaign was solid (33 HRs, 103 RBIs in 113 games), the 2024 season proved he's lost a step as he only tallied 16 homers and 69 RBIs with one of the worst slash lines (.235/320/.406) of his 14-year career.
Players usually don't get better at this stage of their careers, meaning it's hard to imagine Martinez turning back the clock if he does sign with a new team. He might be rusty at this point in the campaign, and it wouldn't be a surprise if a team would need to be extremely desperate to take a chance on him.
With how quickly the 2025 season is flying by, Red Sox fans should have a better idea if Martinez will play this year sooner rather than later.