4 Former Red Sox Boston Can Sign For a Reunion in 2024

3. J.D. Martinez

J.D. Martinez put together a renaissance year with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, clobbering 33 home runs while driving in 103 runs. Martinez's 33 home runs were his most since 2019.

During his five seasons in Boston, Martinez was a mainstay in the middle of the Red Sox order. Martinez signed a five-year, $110 million deal with the club in 2018, and made his presence felt immediately. In his first season in 2018, Martinez finished fourth in the MVP voting thanks to his .330 batting average, 43 home runs and league-leading 130 runs batted in. He also took home the Hank Aaron Award and two Silver Sluggers (one as an outfielder and one as a designated hitter), becoming the first player to win two Silver Sluggers in the same season. Martinez's prolific offensive season helped propel the Red Sox to their ninth World Series title.

Across his five seasons with the Red Sox, Martinez hit .292 with 130 home runs and 423 RBI, while earning four All-Star appearances.

If he were to return, the major limitation with Martinez is that he would have to almost exclusively contribute as a designated hitter. Martinez only started one game in the field last season with the Dodgers (in left field), while DH'ing the other 110 games he played in.

Recent reporting has indicated that new Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow has not committed firmly to either a consistent designated hitter (à la David Ortiz) or allowing manager Alex Cora the flexibility to rotate several players. If the ultimate decision is to employ one consistent DH, then the odds of a Martinez return to Boston would improve.