JD Martinez had the option of becoming a free agent and signing a new contract this winter, but the Boston Red Sox slugger has decided to stay put for at least another year.
Martinez will not opt out of his contract, according to multiple reports. He holds player options for each of the next three seasons, so he is only committing to 2020 by not opting out now.
BREAKING: J.D. Martinez will not opt out of his contract with the Boston Red Sox, sources tell ESPN.
By remaining with the Red Sox, Martinez can earn $62.5M over the next three years. He also has an opt-out clause after the 2020 season.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 4, 2019
The first of Martinez’s three option years is worth the most, so that may have factored into his decision. He will earn $23.75 million in 2020, whereas opting in for 2021 and/or 2022 would be worth $19.3 million each season.
Martinez has been one of the best hitters in baseball since he signed with the Red Sox prior to the 2018 season. He hit .330 with 43 home runs and 130 RBI last season and was a huge part of the reason Boston won the World Series. The 32-year-old followed that up with another productive year in 2019, hitting .304 with 36 home runs and 105 RBI.
While Martinez sticking around is certainly good news for the Red Sox, it could make it less likely that they will keep Mookie Betts, who is expected to command a record contract in his final year of arbitration eligibility. The team basically already admitted that keeping both Martinez and Betts in 2020 will be difficult, though it’s also possible they could shop Martinez in trade talks.
