Report: Tigers, Martinez Agree To Four-Year Deal
By Dan Jenkins
@DanTJenkins
[UPDATE 5:09 pm: CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports that the Tigers deal with Martinez is for four years and $68 million, pending a physical.]
[UPDATE 4:37 pm: The New York Post's Joel Sherman confirmed that the two sides have agreed on a deal.]
Earlier Wednesday, Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said that the team's number one priority would be to re-sign Silver Slugger Award-winning designated hitter Victor Martinez.
It appears that the two sides are close to an agreement. FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal tweeted Wednesday that the Tiger's are close to a four-year deal with Martinez.
V-Mart deal is $17M per year, so $68M for the 4.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 12, 2014
At $17M per yr, VMart becomes highest avg ever for DH. Ortiz got $16M on 1-yr deal in '15. Hafner $14.25M on multi-yr #tigers
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 12, 2014
Can confirm @Ken_Rosenthal report #Tigers have re-signed Victor Martinez to a 4-yr contract
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 12, 2014
Sources: #Tigers close to re-signing Victor Martinez to four-year deal.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 12, 2014
Victor Martinez was the No. 1 domino in the DH market, and now that he's headed back to Detroit, Nelson Cruz, Billy Butler next in line.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 12, 2014
Martinez posted career-highs with a .335 batting average and 32 home runs. Martinez was second to Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (.341) for the American League lead in batting average.
Martinez had the highest OPS (.974) and WAR (5.3) among six qualified designated hitters, including David Ortiz, Nelson Cruz, Billy Butler, Chris Carter and Adam Dunn.