Chris Martin Intends to Pitch Next Season, But Will it Be with Rangers?

The long-time reliever and Arlington native appears intent on playing next season and he’s already generating interest from an AL rival.

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Chris Martin has been around the block. He’s played for seven teams, including the Texas Rangers in two different stretches.

Now, it appears one of his former teams is considering bringing him back in 2026.

Mass Live’s Chris Cotillo reported on X (formerly Twitter) that the Boston Red Sox have interest in signing Martin. The report also indicated that after flirting with retirement, the 39-year-old right-hander wants to pitch in 2026.

He pitched for Boston in 2023 and 2024 and he went 7-2 with a 2.16 ERA in 100 games. It was the second-lowest ERA with any team in his career. He struck out 96 and walked 11 in 95.2 innings.

After he landed back with the Rangers in 2025, his season started with a flourish and ended with injuries derailing the campaign.

Chris Martin’s Rangers Fit in 2026

One Red Sox possibility on the relief market, according to a source, is a reunion with veteran Chris Martin, who plans to pitch in 2026. Martin had previously opened the door to retiring after 2025 but is intent on pitching next year. There's Boston interest.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) December 14, 2025

Martin started the campaign in a prime set-up role and even handled some closing duties. By season’s end he was 2-6 with a 2.98 ERA in 49 games. He had two saves, struck out 43, walked eight and allowed six home runs in 42.1 innings. But he didn’t have much of an impact in the back half of the season.

Martin first landed on the 15-day injured list on May 20 with right shoulder fatigue, but returned on June 5, spending the minimum amount of time on the IL. What really hurt him was a calf injury he suffered during a relief appearance on July 21. That injury, to his left calf, or his plant leg, kept him off the field and required a rehab assignment at Double-A Frisco. He returned on Sept. 1, just as Texas had played its way back into the AL West playoff race.

He went on the injured list late in the year with thoracic outlet syndrome, a shoulder injury that typically requires either months of recovery and rehab or surgery, or both. But, as reported by The Dallas Morning News (subscription required), he was dealing with symptoms of TOS. If he’s considering a return, then the symptoms have subsided and he expects to be healthy. Any MLB contract he signs will require a physical.

So far this offseason the Rangers have agreed to terms with relievers Alexis Diaz and Tyler Alexander They’ve also lost relievers Phil Maton and Hoby Milner in free agency, both to the Chicago Cubs. The top of the market has been eaten away in free agency and relivers like Martin could find a considerable market, even entering his age 40 season.

Earlier this offseason, Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Martin said he had been in touch with the team’s free agents. It’s unclear if that could sway Martin to re-sign with Texas — or if the Rangers want him to return. But he clearly has a market.