The Detroit Tigers and outfielder J.D. Martinez have been discussing an extension that will be a bit more tricky than most
The Detroit Tigers are in win-now mode as they have made multiple moves that will help them contend for a World Series title within the next few years. One of the most important players on their team over the past two seasons has been outfielder J.D. Martinez. Former thought of as a bust, Martinez has emerged as a star with the Tigers. He has a .893 OPS with 61 home runs over his two seasons with the Tigers. The two sides have recently discussed an extension.
“It’s definitely something we’re still talking about,” Martinez said, via MLive.com. “It’s something I think both sides are still interested in. We haven’t come to something where we both feel comfortable yet. I love this team. I want to be part of this team. I would love to be a Tiger for life. We’ve just got to see how it goes.”
J.D. Martinez has two more years of team control before he becomes a free agent. He is set to go to arbitration with the Tigers after not being able to reach an agreement before the deadline. This extension is more complicated than it appears on paper. While Martinez would love to stay in Detroit long-term, the Tigers could be committing as much as over $120 million to five players in 2018.
The likelihood of a J.D. Martinez extension relies on one of two things. First of all, should Justin Upton opt-out after the 2017 campaign, that would free up quite a bit of money for Martinez. Secondly, the Tigers could give him a short-term extension, much like the one that division rival Lorenzo Cain just got. A long-term extension isn’t likely, but it certainly can’t be ruled out.