Where Will J.D. Martinez Sign?
Tom Verducci: The Cardinals. This is a critical winter for St. Louis. They need a middle-of-the-order masher, and if they lose out on Stanton, Martinez is the next best available option.
Jay Jaffe: While Boston seems to be the obvious answer given their desire for power and a right-handed bat—not to mention the presence of Dave Dombrowski, who as Tigers GM plucked him off the scrap heap in 2014—they've got a full outfield and a pricey designated hitter in Hanley Ramirez. Since neither Ramirez nor Martinez can play first base, the Sox would either have to eat much or most of the $22 million the former is owed in order to make the transaction work, or trade Jackie Bradley Jr. and move Mookie Betts to centerfield. That seems too complicated. Martinez could be a fallback for the Giants if they can't get Stanton, but if that doesn't happen, I think he and the Diamondbacks find a way for him to return, perhaps with an opt-out clause.
Stephanie Apstein: Boston seems like a good fit. President of baseball ops Dave Dombrowski loves a free-agent splash and that lineup finished last in the AL in home runs last year.
Jack Dickey: The Diamondbacks would be wise to keep him—he provided a Yoenis-Cespedes-to-the-Mets-in-2015 jolt to their season, slugging .741 in 232 at-bats with Arizona after a midseason trade from Detroit. But Martinez hired Scott Boras this November for a reason. Where is he likeliest to find a megadeal? Boston, probably. But don’t sleep on Baltimore. While the O’s need pitching more than another bat, they’ve been known to fall hard for flawed power hitters in the past.
Jon Tayler: Dave Dombrowski is still in charge in Boston, right? Then Martinez will soon be holding up a pristine white Red Sox jersey next to a beaming Dombrowski and new manager Alex Cora in front of the assembled media as the promised fix to a lineup that struggled mightily in the post-David Ortiz era. Martinez’s prodigious power makes him a needed piece in an offense that was unexpectedly light last year. And his connection with Dombrowski—who signed him as a no-name minor league free agent in Detroit years ago—coupled with the general manager’s perpetual willingness to spend on elite talent improves Boston’s odds.
Gabriel Baumgaertner: Red Sox GM Dave Dombrowski loves spending his money established power hitters. Boston could do a bit of everything last year except hit for power. Martinez, one of the game's best power bats, will fit right in for the Red Sox.
Connor Grossman: After enduring a surprising power outage last season, the Red Sox will be the team to tackle Scott Boras’s sky-high contract demands for Martinez. The slugger’s outfield skills are already subpar, so it makes sense he would land in the American League where he can start DHing now (and throughout a deal that should last until he’s 36 or 37). Martinez is reportedly seeking $200-plus million, most of which is only possible thanks to his 45-homer career year in 2017. Even if he doesn’t get $200 million, Boston is one of the few franchises that could approach that figure.
