Report: Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez will not opt out of contract
J.D. Martinez of the Boston Red Sox looks on in the first inning while playing the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on July 05, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
J.D. Martinez is not going to leave Boston.
Not yet, anyway.
Facing a Monday deadline to opt out of his current contract with the Red Sox, Martinez will indeed elect to stay with Boston, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, as well as veteran baseball insider Jon Heyman.
Per Passan, the decision to stay with the Sox means that Martinez, who signed a five-year deal worth $110 million back in 2018, can earn up to $62.5 million with the Red Sox over the next three years. But is is also worth mentioning that Martinez has an opt-out clause at the end of the 2020 season, too, meaning that the Red Sox could find themselves in this position once again this time next year.
But in the now, the Red Sox will retain a bat that walloped 36 homers, 105 RBIs, and hit .304 in 146 games a year ago. That year was actually a dip from J.D.’s first year in town, too, as he hit 43 homers, totaled 130 RBIs, and hit a career-best .330 with the Sox during their championship-winning 2018 season.
What this means for the Red Sox in the now is incredibly interesting, though, as the team has already stated their plans to slash payroll (rather significantly), and having Martinez checking in at over $20 million in 2020 does little to help that.
All eyes will now shift to Mookie Betts, who is due another $20 million (plus) in arbitration, and what Chaim Bloom does with him.
