Report: Stalemate between Red Sox, J.D. Martinez continues
Arizona Diamondbacks' J.D. Martinez watches his grand slam during the fourth inning of the team's baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, July 27, 2017, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
J.D. Martinez brought hope to fans of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017. Now, fans are hopeful that he’ll continue to hold out on signing with another team.
Martinez and the Boston Red Sox have been in a stalemate for weeks. The 30-year-old slugger is looking for a six-year contract in the range of $180-$200 million. Red Sox general manager Dave Dombrowksi has offered a five-year deal at an unknown amount, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.
The Diamondbacks still have Martinez atop their list as well, and while a D-backs person suggested he didn’t believe an official five-year offer was extended, it’s hard to imagine them still being in it for less, and they are in it.
Martinez is coming off of what was arguably his best season in the majors, hitting 45 home runs (29 with Arizona) and driving in 104 runs with a breakdown of .303/.376/.690. After coming over from Detroit, he was slugging .741 with an OPS of 1.107.
In addition to a potent bat, Martinez is a viable option in right field and would prefer to play in the outfield rather than DH, per Heyman. However, Boston already has a Gold Glove winner in Mookie Betts.
Arizona can offer him an outfield position and hired his personal hitting coach, Robert van Scoyoc, to be the team’s hitting strategist.
General manager Mike Hazen worked some magic to bring Martinez to the desert. The question is, does he have another trick up his sleeve to keep him there?
