A significant domino was set to fall for the Boston Red Sox on Monday afternoon, and that piece was J.D. Martinez and his looming decision of whether to opt into the remaining $62.5 million on his contract.
On Monday afternoon, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Martinez decided to opt-in and remain with the Red Sox for the 2020 season.
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
This means that Martinez will earn $23.5 million for the 2020 season, all of which will count against Boston’s luxury tax payroll. The team’s top brass, including principal owner John Henry and team president Sam Kennedy, have publicly stated that they aim to keep the team’s payroll under the $208 million threshold in 2020.
The team, as well as its fan base, find themselves in an extremely odd situation with Martinez. On one hand, all of Red Sox Nation should be thrilled at the reality of retaining one of the most dangerous and impactful right-handed…
