Pedro Martinez wants Red Sox to pursue starting pitching and a closer in free agency

Jason Varitek was among those in attendance at the Colonnade Hotel on Friday to support the annual fundraising efforts for the Pedro Martinez Foundation, which has been raising money to better educate underprivileged children in both Latin America and the United States.

Martinez and his wife Carolina have been actualizing their dream to support at-risk children since the charity’s inception five years ago. Every year, star athletes from around the country show up to the gala to lend their support.

“Anything to help Pedro” was a common response from those in attendance.

Martinez is one of many superstar players in Boston who have made giant impacts off the field, too. David Ortiz does so with his Children’s Fund. Tim Wakefield remains heavily involved in the Red Sox Foundation. Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Brock Holt each had a substantial presences in the community during their time in Boston.

But the way the modern game works, it’s rare for one player to spend a majority of his career in one city. Most choose free agency after they fulfill their six seasons of big league service time required to test the market.

It was another reason why Martinez was so adamant that Xander Bogaerts should stay in Boston when Martinez was asked about it during his gala on Friday.

Bogaerts signed a team-friendly deal paying him $20 million a year, well below what he’d surely earn on the free agent market, as Carlos Correa and Corey Seager should prove this winter. But Bogaerts can opt out after the 2022 season and test free agency if he’d like to.

Asked if he thinks Bogaerts should opt out, Martinez said, “No, not at all. At the end of the day Xander is the one who will decide if he goes or stays. But Xander could be a player that needs to… continue to have a Hall of Fame career in Boston. Because I don’t know if you know this, but the years Xander Bogaerts has played in Boston are Hall of Fame years. So, we have to expect Xander to continue to feel comfortable, continue to do what he has to do, and hopefully Xander will have the same love for Boston that Boston has for Xander Bogaerts.”

Bogaerts and Rafael Devers are two of the few remaining impact players who were signed and developed by the Red Sox. Bogaerts has one year remaining and Devers has two years before free agency is an option.

It would also make Martinez happy if the Red Sox addressed some clear needs this winter.

“I would just say starting pitching,” he said when asked what the Sox need in free agency. “And maybe a closer or someone towards the back end of the bullpen.”

Should Tanner Houck or Garrett Whitlock move to the rotation? Martinez said they could each make impacts in any role, but noted, “the talent is there. You and I, and everybody who is watching, knows that the talent is there. It’s up to him to grab whatever he wants to grab.”

As for the 2021 Red Sox season, Martinez said, “I believe we were where we weren’t supposed to be.”

“We went to the American League championship,” he added, “which, given the fact that Chris Sale wasn’t there, we didn’t have our starting rotation the entire season there, I am extremely, extremely happy with the way things went. Even though we got excited and thought we could pull it off, we had a better team than people thought we had. If we were totally healthy and the entire season we had Chris Sale stabilizing the front of the rotation, we’ll probably be right now arguing whether we are the champions or not.”

Martinez grabbed stardom when he was in Boston, winning two Cy Young Awards and a World Series title during his time with the Sox. His celebrity off the field is what prompts guys like two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber and likely National League MVP Juan Soto to come to Boston on a cold November day and mingle with fans to raise money for charity.

“It’s a privilege and honor to be invited to something like this,” Kluber said.

Varitek attended the gala directly after attending the services to mourn Remy, who died last week at the age of 68.

“Always grateful to the city of Boston to have this support,” Martinez said. “I’m a little bit down on the fact that we just lost a big one, Jerry Remy. A little bit bummed out for that. But at the same time I know Jerry is smiling somewhere because we’re doing the things he likes to see be done, that is work for the community. And I come here to be the Bostonian he wants me to be.

“I’m extremely happy to have the opportunity to once again be back in Boston, get Boston’s love and care towards me, the foundation, the dream I’ve always had. They’re actually making it happen today.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3o1R3Yc