Years after a mid-career shift that would make him a poster child for modern hitting development, J.D. Martinez cashed in. His previous time hitting the free-agent market paid him handsomely, as the Boston Red Sox were hopeful he could be the piece that pushed their group of gifted homegrown position players over the top.Upon his arrival at Fenway Park, he was entrusted with a more specific task.“They pretty much assigned me Mookie Betts,” Martinez told The Athletic’s Chad Jennings this past August. “They called me into the office and said, ‘This is your project.’ I said, ‘Damn, alright.’”Betts was the most promising of them all, and Martinez’s soothsaying brought out the best in the All-Star outfielder. Betts’ OPS jumped nearly 200 points, resulting in the AL MVP award. The Red Sox won the World Series, with Martinez’s forceful right-handed bat helping lead the way.His voice and guidance resonated among a core of All-Stars, a skill set that drew notice from outside the organization as well.“I feel like he’s a hitting coach in himself,” Martinez’s now-former teammate, Xander Bogaerts, said then. Dodgers one of multiple teams in mix for free-agent right-hander Seth Lugo, sources tell me and @FabianArdaya. LAD most likely
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Sources: Dodgers add J.D. Martinez, bolstering lineup and clubhouse with veteran presence
