Yankees Former Archrival Pedro Martinez Says He Wanted to Play for Franchise
The New York Yankees are continuing to search for more star power this offseason as they attempt to remake their roster into one that can bring home their first World Series title since 2009.
Starting pitchers seem to be at the forefront of their thought process right now as they have been linked to Blake Snell in free agency and to other ace-caliber arms in trade markets.
Comments from one of the Yankees' former archrivals might have many fans wondering what could have been after Pedro Martinez said in a recent interview with Santiago Matias of Alofoke FM that he wanted to join New York.
"I asked for a trade three times to play with the New York Yankees," MLB insider Hector Gomez translated.
Martinez, a Hall of Fame inductee in 2015, was most known for his time with the Boston Red Sox.
The three-time Cy Young winner won the award twice with the Red Sox. He led the American League in ERA four times and strikeouts three times, amongst multiple other advanced metrics during his seven-year tenure in Boston.
He was also a member of the 2004 World Series championship that came back from a 3-0 deficit against the Yankees in the ALCS to eventually go on to win their first title since 1918 and break the "Curse of the Bambino."
Martinez had an unfathomable record of 117-37 across 201 starts and 203 appearances with the Red Sox, posting an ERA of 2.50 with 1,683 strikeouts over 1,383 2/3 innings pitched.
His seven season run with Boston is considered to be the best stretch from a starting pitcher in Major League history.
He left the Red Sox after 2004 and signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the New York Mets.
It's unclear when these trade asks from Martinez might have been.
He has some infamous moments in the rivalry between New York and Boston, so it seems unlikely that it might have come during his tenure with the enemy.
But, these comments definitely throw salt in the wound knowing that one of the greatest pitchers of all time wanted to be with the Yankees.
