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Yankees GM on Blue Jays signing Martin: 'Toronto got themselves a hell of a player'

Dan Hamilton / USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees let Russell Martin walk two years ago and now he's catching for their division rival. 

Though his power numbers have declined since departing hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium, Martin's drastically improved his plate discipline following two years in Pittsburgh and landed himself a five-year, $82 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this week. 

Year (team) GP HR AVG/OBP/SLG SO-BB
2011 (NYY) 125 18 .237/.324/.408 81-50
2012 (NYY) 133 21 .211/.311/.403 95-53
2013 (PIT) 127 15 .226/.327/.377 108-58
2014 (PIT) 111 11 .290/.402/.430 78-59

The Yankees expect to see plenty of Martin over the next half decade and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman reluctantly applauded the Blue Jays for landing the marquee free agent. 

“I was surprised he wound up in Toronto, because I think everybody expected a different location for him,” Cashman told Brendan Kuty of the Newark Star-Ledger. “I thought two other places, if I had to predict before the winter where he might wind up. Toronto got themselves a hell of a player. I’d rather it not be them because they’re in our division. But I’m not surprised by his contract.”

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