Report: J.D. Martinez Signs Five-Year Deal With Red Sox Worth $110 Million
Free agent outfielder J.D. Martinez has reportedly reached an agreement with the Boston Red Sox on a deal worth $110 million over five years, according to to Pedro Gomez of ESPN and Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports was the first to report that Martinez and the Red Sox were nearing a deal on Monday. Alex Speir of The Boston Globe reports that the two sides are working around an agreement on a five-year deal. The deal includes an opt-out clause after two years, according to Morosi and Gomez.
Martinez, 29, was one of the best hitters in the league last year as he recorded a .690 slugging percentage in 489 plate appearances between the Detroit Tigers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He finished the season with a .303 batting average, 26 doubles, 45 home runs and a 1.066 OPS in 119 games on the year. He was dealt to Arizona before the July trade deadline and his numbers are more impressive when his 62 games in the National League show that he hit .302 with 29 home runs and 65 RBIs in the second half. In the past four years, Martinez is splitting .300/.362/.574.
During the Winter Meetings, his agent Scott Boras told teams that Martinez was seeking a contract in the $200 million range. That deal would still be a lot less than the $265 million that the New York Yankees will be shelling out for outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, who was acquired in a trade with the Miami Marlins before Christmas. The Stanton deal triggered major interest from the Red Sox to stay close on their American League East rivals and aggressively pursue Martinez.
