Detroit Tigers: Victor Martinez to Play his Final Game
By Dylan Smith
Victor Martinez will appear in the final game of his career on Saturday as the Detriot Tigers will play the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park.
Victor Martinez will call it a career following tonight’s game. The Detroit Tigers will honor V-Mart with a ceremony prior to their game against the Kanas City Royals.
“I feel like I owe it to the fans to have my final at-bats here,” Martinez said to ESPN.
The longtime Tigers slugger will then sit out the series finale on Sunday. He will still accompany the team on their last six-game road trip, but will not appear in another game.
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In a rebuilding year, Martinez has put up numbers that are far from his prime capabilities. In 131 games played, Martinez has hit 9 home runs, driven in 54 RBIs and has slashed .249/.296/.353. These numbers are not bad at all for the aging former catcher.
Martinez first signed with Detriot in November of 2010. In 967 games played, V-Mart has hit 115 home runs, driven in 540 RBI’s and has slashed .290/.349/.440 while in a Tigers uniform. In total, Martinez has hit 246 home runs, driven in 1178 RBIs and has slashed .295/.360/.455 over a long 16-year career.
We have all known that Victor Martinez would be hanging up his cleats at the end of the season. Tonight’s game will be a memorable moment for the Detriot Tigers and their fans as the 39-year-old will be finishing his seventh season with the club.
Martinez was an important piece of a number of good Tigers’ teams. While he was on the roster, the Tigers made the playoffs from 2011-2014. The slugger was Miguel Cabrera’s partner in crime in the lineup for a long time. With a new era of Detriot Tigers baseball being built, Miguel Cabrera now remains as the last piece of a dominant team.
Tigers all time 25 man roster. dark. Next
While his numbers may be a little shy of Hall of Fame worthy, Victor Martinez will be remembered fondly by Tigers’ fans and the baseball world. Over his 16 year career, Martinez was a five-time All-Star and a part of five playoff teams. In the end, it is a shame that he never made a World Series appearance.