As has been rumored and anticipated since at least the dawn of recorded time, the Red Sox and free-agent slugger J.D. Martinez have reportedly agreed to terms on a five-year, $110-million contract. Said pairing has been rumored and anticipated since at least the dawn of recorded time for a very good reason: It makes good sense.
First, consider these numbers:
So the Red Sox needed power, especially relative to their chief AL East rivals. Martinez addresses that need in a big way. Martinez is coming off a 2017 season in which he batted .303/.376/.690 (166 OPS+) with 45 home runs in 119 games for the Tigers and then Diamondbacks. That sky-scraping .690 slugging percentage led the majors by a wide margin. That's obviously elite power production, and it's in keeping with Martinez's recent history. Since joining the Tigers before the 2014 season and rebuilding his swing and plate approach, he's authored an OPS+ of 149 and averaged 40 homers and 39 doubles per 162 games played. Martinez has been one of the top power hitters and all of baseball, and he should remain as much, as least for the near-term.
Put his right-handed thump in Fenway for half a season and then let him play an unbalanced schedule in the generally hitter-friendly ballparks of the AL East, and Martinez -- given health -- is a threat to top 50 homers in 2018. As explained above, that's precisely what the Sox, who are all-in on gunning for the World Series over the next few seasons while Chris Sale is still under contract.
As for the roster fit, the cramped left field dimensions at Fenway make for a nice way to hide Martinez's lack of range in the outfield. Wedging him into the outfield on a regular basis, though, would require the Sox to move Jackie Bradley Jr. They can do so in the service of filling roster needs elsewhere, or they can install Martinez as a major DH upgrade over Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez, in turn, will see his role reduced to non-primary platoon first baseman paired with Mitch Moreland and pinch-hitter of first resort. Considering Ramirez's 2019 option vests at 497 plate appearances this season, he might be particularly happy with such an arrangement. In the event that a somewhat already tense clubhouse doesn't need further upset, the best path may be to cut ties with Ramirez via trade that brings nothing back and requires the Sox to kick in cash or release. The point is you make space for a masher like Martinez, and the Sox will find a way.
Yes, Martinez is 30 years of age, and power hitters at non-premium positions sometimes don't age well. Also, he's got a history of injuries that can't be ignored. Still, these are reasonable terms from the team standpoint (and, by extension, probably disappointing terms from the player and agent standpoint). Any reasonable pre-Hot Stove expectation of what Martinez would fetch on the market would've comfortably exceeded five years and $110 million. Yes, the reported pair of opt-outs add value to this deal for Martinez, but even after you account for that it feels like a bargain for the club. Signing Martinez also won't cost the Red Sox any compensatory draft picks or any international budget space because he wasn't eligible for a qualifying offer from the Diamondbacks.
It took a while, yes, but in the end the Red Sox got the free agent they sorely needed. They've been overshadowed by the colossus in the Bronx this winter, but let's not forget that Boston has claimed consecutive division titles. Now that the best pure hitter on the market is in the fold, they're here to remind us that they have real designs on the belt and the title in 2018.
Bagikan Berita Ini
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