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Prized free agent J.D. Martinez has a five-year offer from the Boston Red Sox, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. No exact figures of the deal have been reported.
The Red Sox ranked 27th in baseball last season in home runs and 26th in slugging percentage, leaving a major need for a bat in the middle of their lineup. They have brought back first baseman Mitch Moreland, but more help will be needed if they are to compete with lineups like the Yankees and Astros.
If Martinez can provide an encore to his 2017 season, the Red Sox would be thrilled to bring him aboard. The 30-year-old smashed a career-high 45 home runs with a 1.066, also the highest mark of his seven-year career.
Martinez met with the Red Sox in Orlando during the Winter Meetings, with his representative Scott Boras. Numerous other teams have also expressed interest in the slugging outfielder, including the Blue Jays and Diamondbacks.