Former Red Sox reliever Chris Martin is heading home to the Rangers, for what could be his final MLB season. The team announced a one-year deal for Martin, who’s been one of the stronger relievers in baseball over the last six seasons.
A Look at Martin
The 2024 season was another strong one for Chris Martin, who’s been one of baseball’s more reliable relievers over the last six seasons. Last season with the Red Sox, Martin posted a 3.45 ERA (2.78 FIP) with 50 strikeouts over 44.1 IP.
It marked the sixth-straight season Martin posted an ERA below 4.00 ERA. And, he struck out hitters at a higher clip than in 2023 (8.1 K/9). That season, the 38-year-old finished 13th in the AL Cy Young vote thanks to a 1.05 ERA and pristine 1.03 WHIP.
Martin also proved to be one of the best relievers last season in terms of command. The 38-year-old has regularly ranked well-above-average in terms of BB% and last season, his rate was 1.7%. That ranked seven percent points better than the league average. And among relievers with 40+ IP thrown, no pitcher walked fewer batters last season than Martin (3).
For reference, Tigers reliever Brant Hurter and Tyler Rogers finished second-best, with six.
Part of the reason why Martin walks so few batters is because he’s adept at getting hitters to chase. Just last season alone, his Chase% was 35.2%, and he’s regularly rated above-average over the years.
He’s got the arsenal to get hitters to chase habitually. Martin has a very good splitter, one he used at the MLB level after several years in Japan in the 2010s, one with hard, vertical drop.
But when needed, he can pound the zone. The Rangers reliever has a “rising” cutter, one that had a mean 1.1” in. above-average IVB on it last season. That action not only makes it tough for hitters to pick up but also an offering good enough to mirror off the fastball.
Per the team, the Rangers signed Chris Martin to a one-year deal. It’ll be Martin’s second tour with Texas. He pitched for the team between 2018-19, before he was traded to Atlanta in 2019 for Kolby Allard.
Analysis
This is likely Martin’s final MLB season. He said before the end of 2024 that 2025 will likely be the end, thanks to family commitments, plus the mental and physical toll baseball can play. If that is the case, Martin will head home to Texas for one final run and join a Rangers team looking for better in 2025.
Martin is just the latest addition to the Rangers’ bullpen, one that now also includes newcomers Hoby Milner and Jacob Webb. Both were non-tendered in the fall but the two also have been rather successful relievers.
However, one hole the Rangers have yet to address is who will be the team’s closer in 2025. Texas started 2024 with Jose Leclerc as closer, before he fell out of favor and was replaced by Kirby Yates. Yates posted a 1.13 ERA, struck out 85 over 61.2 IP, and notched 33 saves for the Rangers in 2024.
He’s still a free agent as of this writing.
No reliever on the Rangers’ roster right now has extensive closing experience. Martin has been a set-up man but only has 14 career saves to his name.