Braves sign Martin to 2-year, $14M deal

Chris Martin is staying with the Atlanta Braves.

Atlanta re-signed the reliever to a two-year, $14-million contract, the team announced Tuesday.

Martin will earn $7 million in each year of the deal. The contract does not contain any bonus clauses or options.

The Braves acquired the 33-year-old from the Texas Rangers at the 2019 trade deadline for Kolby Allard. Martin posted a 4.08 ERA, 1.63 FIP, and 1.02 WHIP while tallying 22 strikeouts to just one walk in 20 appearances with Atlanta.

Martin's season ended when he suffered an oblique injury while warming up in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

The reliever signed in Japan in 2016 after an unsuccessful first stint in the majors. He was a dominant closer with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and returned to the United States as a member of the Rangers in 2018.

Martin owns a 4.51 ERA and 3.46 FIP with 134 strikeouts and just 20 walks over his four-year major-league career.

Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos has prioritized bolstering his team's bullpen this offseason. Atlanta signed closer Will Smith to a three-year, $39-million contract last week and re-signed veteran Darren O'Day to a $2.25-million deal earlier this month.

The foursome of Martin, Smith, Mark Melancon, and Shane Greene will combine to earn over $40 million in salary next season, according to Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.