Dodgers News: Key 2022 Reliever Says Next Season Will Be His Last

Maren Angus-Coombs | 3 Hours Ago

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Former Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Chris Martin had every intention of pitching for the Boston Red Sox as long as they wanted him to.

“I’m going to play for as long as they let me — as long as I can still do it,” Martin said in July 2023.

Fourteen months later, Martin has changed his tune.

“To be 100 percent honest, I think next year will be my last year,” Martin told Christopher Smith of Mass Live.

Martin has been elite when healthy as of late and quietly has been a Red Sox leader. Somewhat admirably, he took issue when rookie pitchers were asked questions after the Judge grand slam and demanded reporters talk to him — he didn’t pitch in the game — instead. https://t.co/uP12Vt2KAR

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) September 18, 2024

The Red Sox setup man, who turned 38 on June 2, intends to pitch through 2025, but he's about 95 percent certain that will be his final season. He'll hit free agency after the 2024 season.

Martin's season has been tumultuous. During the first half of the season, he dealt with an injured left shoulder (non-pitching arm) that affected his delivery, and then returned to the IL in June because of anxiety. He took a third trip to the IL July 5-Aug. 7 with right elbow inflammation.

Most people his age might think about calling it quits after this season, but Martin found himself wanting one more year.

While recovering from his elbow injury, he was at home watching the Red Sox play the Dodgers in Los Angeles right after the All-Star break (July 19-21) and realized he wasn’t ready to hang it up just yet.

“I saw the guys playing. They were in LA. I don’t know, I still had that like ‘man, I need to be there’ feeling. So I think I don’t want that to happen — retiring and then the season starts and I get the itch to play again, which is pretty normal.”

Being home with his family also made him rethink his priorities.

“We have a fourth (child) on the way,” Martin said. “Obviously I want to be there for them. And they’re getting to the ages where they’re starting to play sports. I’m getting older. Obviously 40 years old and playing baseball is going to be hard on me mentally and physically. I think that probably will be the cutoff. We’ll see. I don’t want to say 100 percent. I’d say 95 percent that next year will be my last year. I just want to be completely focused these last 11 days here and then if the opportunity comes next year — a team’s still gotta want me so we’ll see.”

Martin has a 3.43 ERA, 2.79 FIP and 1.09 WHIP in 40 outings (39.1 innings).