J.D. Martinez talks plan for 2023, what happened in 2022
J.D. Martinez simply doesn't have all the answers when it comes to his future.
"That's a Chaim question."
That's the usual response from the Red Sox designated hitter when asked about his future, with the topic of a possible qualifying offer from the team - on the Bradfo Sho podcast - allowing for the latest salvo. (At the 14:47 mark of the embedded audio.)
He is just two months away from becoming free agent-eligible, potentially living his final days with the team he has played with since 2018. When it comes to Martinez's next move, it's impossible to predict.
He just turned 35 years old and is currently plowing through one of the most uncomfortable seasons of his career. While hitting a respectable .272 wit an .767 OPS, Martinez's power numbers have dropped significantly (11 homers) with the challenges of a bad back and MLB changes (humidor-induced baseballs) potentially contributing to the downturn.
But between the kind of production he offered for the majority of the season's first half - making the American League All-Star team - and his clubhouse presence, Martinez presents an interesting case for interested parties.
"It definitely has crossed my mind whether I’m going to be back here or if I’m going to be somewhere else," he admitted. "But it’s one of those things where it’s part of the game and it is what it is."
How will the DH be valued? That's anybody's guess. What he isn't leaving to chance is the preparation. As he explained on the Bradfo Sho, things are going to be changing.
After recently talking to an unnamed former longtime major leaguer, Martinez's eyes were opened when it comes to something that is now fully on his radar.
"I think I have a really good plan of what I want to work on and things I want to do in the offseason that I’m really excited about," Martinez said. "Just learning. It’s different. Preparation now is different than what it used to be, for me, just because of my age, my body, and how I need to get my body ready. Certain things you have to turn on. Having to learn to activate certain systems that when you’re younger you never have to do. You spend more time on other things. Now, you’re like, you have to spend more time on this.
"I think this year was kind of one of those years where I kind of learned a lot more about other parts of your body, your nervous system-type stuff. These young guys come out here and their nervous system is on. I have always taken that for granted. I would be like, ’Nervous system? What’s that.’ I have learned now I have to fire my body up, challenge it. Not just in flips. Not just in BP. Crank the machine up. Do some explosive moments. Do something to get my nervous system on.
"Someone pointed it out to me. I don’t want to mention their name … an ex-baseball player. A guy who played who reached out to me and he was like, ‘Dude, I feel like you’re in the same situation. Once I reached your age I learned I have to turn things on. You’re fine. I’m not saying your body is not ready or that your body can’t handle it, but sometimes the first time you are expected to make a quick reaction you’re in the box. You’re in the cage and what are you facing, BP and flips?’ I was like, ‘Yeah.’ He explained that it’s not like when you play the outfield or playing defense where they hit a ball and you make a move, or you do this and you have to go there.
"It’s one of those things where I was like, ‘Damn, I never thought it like that. It kind of makes sense and is something I want to try going into the offseason.’ It’s just different training, really.
"That’s what I’m really going do dive into and that’s what I’m excited about."
So, what changed in 2022 (besides every team implementing humidors ... which Martinez addresses in the podcast)? One of the biggest differences in this season being that he never played one inning in the field.
Last season, he manned the outfield in 36 games. In 2018 there were 57 games in the field, and 38 the year after. Even in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Martinez put his glove on six times.
And heading into this season, there was a plan for Martinez to play right field, serving as the right-handed-hitting complement to Jackie Bradley Jr. But once Trevor Story was signed, that paved the way for Christian Arroyo to fill the role, leaving Martinez solely at the DH spot.
In Martinez's mind, what's done is done. Now comes adjusting to what lies ahead.
"These young guys come I and it’s like, ‘Hey, sprint!’ And It’s like, boom. Me or you, it’s like sprint, ‘Oh (expletive).’ It’s one of those things where it has kind of hurt me a little bit not being in the outfield as much," he said. "I haven’t been able to move around. It’s one of those things where I looked back and I’m like, I really should have really planned out for more this year."
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