Chicago Cubs: J.D. Martinez may have just forced a Mookie Betts trade

Chicago Cubs: Martinez knew his list of suitors could be weak

It makes a lot of sense that J.D. Martinez opted into the final three years of his deal. Don’t get me wrong – the guy is an offensive powerhouse. But that’s part of the problem. He is largely viewed as a one-dimensional player given he hasn’t played in the outfield regularly for year.

New York has plenty of internal options to fill the DH void – as do the likes of Houston, Los Angeles and Minnesota. Several other teams aren’t going to be in the market for a designated hitter looking for $20 million-plus annually, thus limiting his list of suitors.

Martinez made the most sense for someone like the crosstown Chicago White Sox, who feature a bevy of young up-and-coming talent and need a central figure to build around offensively. The slugger never made much sense for the Cubs – but his return to Boston could still have far-reaching implications across the league.

We already knew Boston could be a prominent player this offseason. But with Martinez returning and only exacerbating the team’s ballooning payroll concerns, this may prove to be even more of a storyline than any of us anticipated.