What if the Boston Red Sox didn’t sign J.D. Martinez prior to the 2018 regular season? Would this team be where they are without him?
I’m going to start by saying that I was wrong. I was 100% wrong about how important J.D. Martinez has meant to the Boston Red Sox from the get-go. The issue of him signing his contract prior to the season, I will admit, was the culprit for my ire. However, since joining Boston, Martinez has done nothing short of spectacular work from start to finish. He simply put, cleans up. A potential Triple Crown Winner and top-two option for MVP, how in the world could anyone get it that wrong?
Who leads the league in Batting Average? Martinez and teammate Mookie Betts do at .335. Who leads the league in homers? Well, until September 1, Martinez had but he has given up the lead to Khris Davis in Oakland. He could get it back. Who leads RBI’s? You guessed it. Martinez with 115. The next closest candidate is nine RBI’s behind. Martinez is also third in the league in runs scored at 103.
It was never a question of if the Red Sox wanted Martinez, it was a question of does he want them as much as we wanted him. It’s safe to say that he’s found his stride in Boston very well and has enjoyed his time in Bean Town. He has been worth every penny. Martinez is guaranteed $23.75 million each of the next two seasons but has an opt out clause at the conclusion of both seasons. One could certainly expect or hope that he resigns and stays in Boston long-term.
Martinez has the opportunity to continue making Boston one of the best clubs in the entire sport especially with his talent. After just turning 31, one has to assume that there is plenty more left in the tank. Before exploring, let’s take a deeper look at his numbers.