Red Sox Shutdown Reliever Wants To Retire With Contender, Makes Sense For Royals
The Kansas City Royals are on the right track as an organization. They just need to clean up some of the little things in 2025.
On one hand, the Royals are headed to the playoffs, so this season cannot be considered anything other than a massive success. On the heels of tying a franchise record for losses, a one-year turnaround resulting in a trip to October is a huge, unexpected win for Kansas City.
On the other hand, though, the Royals have some obvious flaws, and though they are still technically in World Series contention, next year is likely their year. The bullpen is one major concern for K.C., and if they can add some insurance at the end of games, they could be even more of a force in the American League Central.
Chris Martin of the Boston Red Sox looks to be a prime fit in free agency for any prospective contenders looking for one more bullpen arm. The nine-year veteran has a long track record of success, and has strongly hinted already that 2025 will be his farewell season--and that he wants to go out on top.
"We’ll see. I don’t want to say 100%," Martin told Christopher Smith of MassLive two weeks ago. "I’d say 95% 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 was highly effective in 2024, though injuries limited him to just 44 1/3 innings pitched. In 2023, though, he was arguably a top-five reliever in the sport, pitching to a 1.05 ERA in 51 1/3 innings, allowing just six runners to cross the plate all season.
At 39, there's no telling for sure how many bullets the 6-foot-8 Martin has left in the tank. But all signs indicate that he's still a valuable weapon out of the bullpen, and a team on the rise like the Royals always needs reliable veterans to plug and play.
There will surely be competition, including Martin's current team, the Red Sox. But if winning is all that matters, the Royals have to be considered a strong fit. The path to contention in 2025 is wide-open, and adding Martin would make Kansas City the early favorite to emerge from the Central.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org