MLB Free Agents: Top 5 hitters set to test the market in 2021, ranked
By Manny Gómez
MLB Free Agents: 5 hitters set to test the market in 2021
J.D. Martinez – Boston Red Sox (Player Option)
After spending the earlier part of his career with three different teams (Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, and Arizona Diamondbacks), it seems that J.D. Martinez has found a comfortable place with the Boston Red Sox.
Since joining the Sox, Martinez has far exceeded his performance as a hitter. In fact, in each of his two seasons in Boston, Martinez has hit 36 or more home runs and posted 105 or more RBIs. What’s more, he has a slash line of .317* / .392* / .593 as a member of the Red Sox. (*Career-highs)
The last time J.D. Martinez tested free agency, the market didn’t move quite as quickly as it did this offseason. As a result, he settled for an incentive-laden 5-year, $110M contract with player options in each season except 2022.
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That leaves this coming offseason and the next as the only times he will be able to try to leverage for a larger deal.
As it stands, Martinez is set to earn approximately $62.5M over the next three seasons (2020-2022). That comes to an annual average value of just under $20M per season.
In taking his last two seasons in Boston, Martinez has accumulated a 9.1 fWAR, which is comparable to guys like Freddie Freeman (9.3 fWAR) and Manny Machado (9.3 fWAR). Both Freeman and Machado are set to earn $22M and $30M each respectively.
If Martinez can continue the level of production fans of the Boston Red Sox have come to see and love, he will opt out and willl be one of the most highly touted MLB free agents in 2021.