It is the time of year when Major League Baseball players start to make decisions about their future. The World Series is over. So that means that players can file for free agency if they are eligible. Players who are able to opt out of their contract also need to make that decision at this time. One of the players who had that decision to make was JD Martinez of the Boston Red Sox. He has been one of the best sluggers in baseball since he signed with the Red Sox two years ago. He finished fourth in the Most Valuable Player voting in 2018 and had another solid season this year.
JD Martinez could have opted out of his contract right now and tested out the free agent waters. However, he decided not to do that. He obviously felt that he would not be able to get as much money as his current contract pays him. He will have the ability to opt out of his contract after the 2020 season if he desires. He is a terrific hitter. He can hit for both average and power. He hit .304 with 36 home runs and 105 runs batted in.
One of the reasons why Martinez decided not to opt out might have something to do with the fact that he is not good defensively at any position. He might be concerned that teams would not be willing to pay as much for a guy who can only be a designated hitter. He will definitely make the Red Sox a great hitting team. It was thought by many experts that he was going to opt out of his contract. It was also a popular opinion among sports writers that the Yankees might try to sign him. That will not be happening now.
It can be a risky proposition for a player to opt out of a contract that is already very lucrative. There is always a chance that they might not be able to get as much money as his old contract paid him. However, there have been many cases of players opting out and cashing in with even bigger contracts than they had before. JD Drew, Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia and Zack Greinke are examples of players who benefited greatly from opting out of their contract. Martinez was given advice by his agent that opting out would not be wise.
