At age 35 and with 12 seasons in the majors, All-Star slugger J.D. Martinez is less interested in money and more in winning and adding accolades to his resume. This appears to be the main reason why he decided to leave the Boston Red Sox this offseason to join the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Martinez saw his five-year, $110 million contract with the Red Sox expire after the 2022 campaign, and at first, there seemed to be a possibility he would remain in Boston for a few more years. But the Miami native ended up preferring the Dodgers’ one-year, $10 million offer even if it meant taking a pay cut.
Now, during an appearance on “The Bradfo Sho” podcast, Martinez decided to let everyone know why he made this decision.
“I wanted a team that was going to be in October, be in the swing of things all year, and give me a chance to win,” Martinez said. “I didn’t want to get stuck with the Red Sox getting the guy they wanted and me left (feeling) wondering where I was going to go.”
If Martinez is looking to play baseball in October, there is hardly a better place than the Dodgers. The LA team hasn’t missed the playoffs since 2012 and has had three World Series appearances in the past six seasons.
The Red Sox, on the other hand, seem to be in a rebuilding phase. They finished last in the AL East last season with a 78-84 record and are not expected to get back on the winning ways anytime soon.
