FORT MYERS, Fla. — J.D. Martinez had the option to opt out of the final year of his contract with the Red Sox and become a free agent. But the deadline to make that decision was in early November.
He declined. Four months later, baseball went to a universal designated hitter as part of the new collective bargaining agreement.
That would have created more opportunities for Martinez had he been a free agent. But he expressed no regrets Monday.
“I think I made the right decision personally,” Martinez said. “I’m excited to be here. I think this team has a chance to win again.” Martinez will make $19.375 million this season, so there’s no reason to be too regretful.”
But 41-year-old Nelson Cruz just signed a one-year, $15 million deal to DH for the Nationals. In this market, the 34-year-old Martinez would have cashed in.
Martinez will benefit from the universal DH. He started 18 interleague games as an outfielder last season and had an .806 OPS with one home run.
He had a .945 OPS in 113 games as a DH and hit 26 home runs.
Martinez has played more games for Boston (498) than he did for Detroit (458), where his career took off from 2014-17.
“I’ve loved it here the whole time,” he said. “I’ve expressed my feelings to the front office. I love the group here … I get along great with everybody and I think it’s a first-class organization.”
Martinez even enjoys the criticism that comes with playing for the Red Sox.
“It’s passion,” he said. “When I first came here everybody was, ‘Will you be able to handle it? The media and fans and everything?’ But there’s nobody harder on me than myself.”
In 2018, Scott Boras negotiated a series of opt-outs in Martinez’s contract. None were used. He now hopes to stay with the Sox and will leave that to Boras to work out.
“I would love it … I would love to finish my career here,” Martinez said.
Matt Barnes is open to closing again
Matt Barnes was an All-Star closer in 2021 then left off the roster for the American League Championship Series. He experienced more setbacks in half a season than he had previously in his career.
But when he asked if he was ready to close again for the Sox, Barnes didn’t pause.
“Yes,” he said.
Chaim Bloom and Alex Cora will let that decision play out. But Barnes made it clear he wants the job back.
Barnes believes he put too much pressure on himself to be “the backstop” of the bullpen. He went from working quickly and effectively to slowing down and pitching tentatively.
Barnes lost his job. Then came a case of COVID-19 that kept him off the field entirely.
“Baseball is a very humbling game,” he said. “You can’t ride the waves in this game, it’s going to eat you alive if you do. You have to try and stay as flat and neutral as possible and take it day by day … it was tough, I’m not going to lie to you.”
Barnes said he pitched off a mound 15 times while waiting for the lockout to end but has yet to face hitters. The plan is for him to do that once before getting in an exhibition game.
NESN to air a dozen
NESN will air 12 of the Red Sox’ 19 Grapefruit League games, producing eight home games and airing the feeds of four road games.
The first game will be Thursday’s opener at JetBlue Park against the Twins. The games on Friday (Rays), Saturday (at the Twins), and Sunday (Orioles) also will be televised. All have start at 1:05 p.m. starts.
Rafael Devers gets some work in
Monday’s workout was largely voluntary after the players took their physicals. Rafael Devers headed out to Field 1 behind the clubhouse to take groundballs and hit. The 25-year-old third baseman appears to be in good shape … Chaim Bloom on the idea that unvaccinated players may be ineligible to play in Toronto this season: “We’re still getting our arm around all the nuances of that. It should go without saying: anything that can keep our players off the field is going to concern us. We have been and will continue to be staunch advocates for vaccinations. Of course we will continue to do everything we can to encourage everybody to get vaccinated.” … The first full-squad workout will be Tuesday. As they did in 2020, the Red Sox will have an organization-wide meeting in JetBlue Park at 10 a.m. Reporters will be prohibited from using the press box during the meeting … Two pitchers recovering from Tommy John surgery, Bryan Mata and James Paxton, played catch during the workout. Paxton is on track for a July return.
Peter Abraham can be reached at peter.abraham@globe.com. Follow him @PeteAbe.