Red Sox chairman confirms club in 'active negotiations' with Martinez
Despite Dave Dombrowski's claims he would be fine with his team heading into spring training with the current roster, it appears the Boston Red Sox will land the middle-of-the-order bat they covet so highly this winter, one way or another.
J.D. Martinez has been the player with whom the Red Sox have been most heavily linked this winter, and club chairman Tom Werner confirmed the team remains in pursuit of the slugger.
"We are in active negotiations with J.D. Martinez," Werner told reporters, according to Christoper Smith of MassLive.com.
It was reported earlier Friday the Red Sox extended a five-year offer to Martinez valued at $125 million. While Werner did not comment on that, he did acknowledge it "takes two to make a deal." Earlier this winter, it was believed Martinez's agent, Scott Boras, was seeking a seven-year, $210-million deal, but it's highly unlikely Martinez would land such a figure given the limited market.
Boston returned almost all of its core from last season's division-winning team, and the franchise's lone move so far this winter was the re-signing of first baseman Mitch Moreland. There are still plenty of free agents available on the market, and Werner said there will be more moves coming. He also added the Red Sox will have the highest payroll in franchise history in 2018; the club currently projects to have a payroll around $200 million, without factoring in Mookie Betts' salary or potentially adding Martinez.
In addition to a power bat, the Red Sox could also use another reliever (preferably left-handed) and some additional starting-pitching depth.