Proper-hander Justin Martínez and the Diamondbacks have reportedly agreed to a contract extension, pending a bodily. The deal can pay him $18MM over 5 years, with a few membership choices as effectively. He’ll get a $2MM signing bonus and a $1.5MM wage this 12 months. He’ll then make salaries of $2MM, $3MM, $4MM and $5.5MM within the remaining assured years. The 2030 membership possibility is valued at $7MM adopted by a $9MM possibility for 2031. It could max out at $39MM by way of escalators and people choices. The assured portion of the deal covers his remaining pre-arbitration and arbitration seasons, whereas the choices give the Diamondbacks two potential further years of management.
Martínez, 23, has a restricted main league observe document however has impressed in that point. He had a tough debut in 2023, permitting 14 earned runs in a small pattern of ten innings. However he firmly established himself final 12 months. He tossed 72 2/3 innings over 64 appearances for the D’Backs, permitting simply 2.48 earned runs per 9 innings. His 11.7% stroll charge was undoubtedly on the excessive aspect however he struck out 29.5% of batters confronted and received grounders on 58.9% of balls in play.
He completed all that with a formidable arsenal, turning his Statcast web page right into a sea of pink. His four-seam fastball and sinker each averaged over 100 miles per hour with Martínez additionally mixing in a splitter and a slider. He earned seven holds and eight saves final 12 months, cementing himself as a key leverage arm for the Snakes.
Provided that eye-popping efficiency, it’s comprehensible that the Snakes would look to lock him up. It’s additionally straightforward to see why Martínez may desire to lock up some life-changing cash now. He had simply transformed from the outfield to the mound in 2018 previous to being signed as an newbie out of the Dominican Republic. He received a $50K bonus, comparatively modest in comparison with a few of the multi-million-dollar bonuses high-profile prospects get. He has struggled with management issues all through his minor league profession and in addition had Tommy John surgical procedure in 2021.
Whereas Martínez is unquestionably assured in his apparent skills, his trajectory has been extra rocky than many different younger gamers. That maybe made him much less more likely to wager on himself than a participant who already had thousands and thousands within the financial institution and a easy experience to the majors.
The deal is roughly in keeping with earlier pacts for pre-arbitration relievers, as proven on MLBTR’s Contract Tracker. Emmanuel Clase received $20MM over 5 years from the Guardians going into the 2022 season. Clase then had between one and two years of service time, as Martínez does now. In each instances, the participant locked up assured cash for his or her pre-arb and arb years, whereas giving up two free agent seasons by way of choices. The Clase deal is tops for a reliever on this service bracket with Martínez coming in just under him.
Clase is an apt comparability for Martínez and a very good illustration of what the Diamondbacks are hoping for. Clase was clearly a proficient pitcher however had some uncertainty after lacking the 2020 season as a consequence of a PED suspension. He pitched his first full season in 2021 and posted a 1.29 ERA over 71 appearances. The Guardians banked on Clase repeating that form of efficiency going ahead, a wager that has paid off. Clase has emerged as among the best closers in baseball with a 1.72 ERA over the primary three years of that deal.
The bar doesn’t must be that top for Martínez. Even by the top of the deal, his wage stays pretty modest. First rate setup pitchers like Paul Sewald, Yimi García and Tommy Kahnle signed offers with salaries within the $7-8MM vary this winter. Which means Martínez might be a cut price even when he’s producing within the realm of these guys. However clearly, the ceiling is kind of excessive and the Diamondbacks are hoping Martínez is a key a part of the bullpen for years to return.
What stays to be seen is how Martínez might be utilized within the brief time period. Supervisor Torey Lovullo mentioned this week, in video relayed by Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports activities, that he would seemingly not identify a strict nearer. He has two key lefties in A.J. Puk and Joe Mantiply, in addition to righties Martínez and Kevin Ginkel. Based mostly on Lovullo’s feedback, he appears more likely to put his pitchers in optimum platoon settings, at the very least till a extra clear hierarchy emerges.
Moises Fabian of Mega 97.9 in New York first reported the small print in Spanish, relaying the $18MM assure over 5 years and the membership choices valued at $7MM and $9MM. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic later reported the identical particulars in English. Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 reported the particular annual salaries.
Pictures courtesy of Rob Schumacher, Imagn Photos.
