There’s not a whole lot of new news here, but Jon Heyman gives us the first Russell Martin update of the off-season:
Pittsburgh, which extended the $15.3 million qualifying offer that he will surely turn down, is said to be quite interested in bringing back Martin to the point of going to unusual lengths for them to try to make it happen. The Pirates, as was reported here, made a multiyear proposal during this his walk season, and while such a late try was a long-shot, it is believed to have been a serious effort on their part.
He adds that the Cubs and Dodgers are likely going to be big players for Martin, the Blue Jays are interested, and that Martin’s agent is presumably looking for a five-year deal since that’s what Brian McCann, Yadier Molina, and Miguel Montero all got in recent years.
So, to recap: a lot of teams want Martin, including the Pirates, and the deal he signs is going to be for many years and many dollars, which probably doesn’t bode well for the Pirates.
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