Chicago Cubs’ mentality doesn’t fit in with this move
While Aaron Judge was smacking everything put before him in 2017, J.D. Martinez nonchalantly provided 45 souvenirs of his own between Detroit and Arizona. His offensive prowess is undeniable; it was evident during his rise through the Tigers organization.
In just 62 games with the Diamondbacks after the deal, Martinez smacked 29 long-balls. He added a big bat to protect Paul Goldschmidt, leading Arizona to a postseason berth. His 1.066 OPS marked the best mark of his career to-date. And it comes at a perfect time, as he hits free agent ahead of the 2018 season.
However, he’s a defensive work-in-progress. And Chicago’s talented young nucleus is defensive-minded to the core. I see no fathomable reason for Martinez’s name to come up, especially since he’s another Boras-represented player seeking $200 million.