There are a bunch of former Red Sox players set to hit free agency this Major League Baseball offseason. As such, we’ll examine in the coming days whether Boston should bring back any of them while retooling its roster for 2024 and beyond.
J.D. Martinez had an incredible tenure with the Red Sox, but it ended pretty anticlimacticly.
In five seasons with Boston, the 36-year-old slashed .292/.363/.526 with 130 home runs, 423 RBIs and 171 doubles. He won a World Series in 2018, made four All-Star appearances and took home two Silver Sluggers in the same season. He was dominant, but by the end it was clear the two sides were ready to move on.
The Red Sox weren’t progressing by 2022, and Martinez was running out of time to win a ring.
He signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, cashing in for only $10 million while trying to secure himself one last payday. It appears he’s going to get it, too, as he belted 33 home runs for 103 RBIs out on the West Coast and once again enters free agency as the top option at DH.
That brings us here, contemplating whether the Red Sox should consider a reunion with Martinez. Let’s break down the case for and against Boston bringing back the former fan favorite.
THE CASE FOR
The Red Sox are in a really weird spot at DH, with one option being a rotation between Triston Casas, Masataka Yoshida and Rafael Devers. That sounds awful.
If Boston rotates players at the spot, it puts itself at risk of preventing defensive development in three guys at key spots. Casas shouldn’t be moved off first base, and if he is, the Red Sox need to find a new option. There have been a ton of resources poured into Devers’ development, and Yoshida is only one year into playing left field at Fenway Park. The Red Sox should go out and grab a full-time DH.
In Martinez, they get as close to a slam-dunk option as you can get. The 36-year-old seems to be getting better with age, and has proven he can get the job done in Boston. They’re at their best with a designated hitter, as well.
THE CASE AGAINST
Do the Red Sox really want to tie money up into an older bat who can only DH?
They did it last season, and Justin Turner was their best hitter, but cycling through options seems like a slippery slope. They’re eventually going to miss on one of these short-term deals. It sounds as though they’re looking for versatility, too, which would lead one to believe in the rotation we mentioned earlier.
THE VERDICT
If money isn’t an issue, there’s no doubt Martinez is the best option to serve as Boston’s designated hitter in 2024.
The Red Sox have a new boss, though, and Craig Breslow’s first major re-signing being a retread probably wouldn’t be the best look. It all depends on the money, so we’re going to place a soft “sure” label on this one. Boston’s money could be better spent on pitching, however.
