Sports

Red Sox negotiations with slugger J.D. Martinez have stalled

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Boston Red Sox have reportedly offered free agent outfielder J.D. Martinez a five-year, $100 million deal, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.

Prior reports indicated the Red Sox had made an initial offer to Martinez, but the terms of the offer were not known.

The 30-year-old Martinez hit .303 with 45 home runs and 104 runs batted last season. He began the year with the Detroit Tigers before being dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 18 in exchange for minor-league prospects Sergio Alcantara, Dawel Lugo and Jose King.

It is widely speculated that Martinez, who is considered one of the top free-agent bats on the market, is looking for a deal in the six-year, $180-million range.

Martinez’ agent Scott Boras certainly has a history of getting his clients paid. In December of 2000, Boras landed Alex Rodriguez a 10-year, $252 million deal with the Texas Rangers and then after he opted out after the 2007 campaign, he helped Rodriguez ink a 10-year, $275 million contact with the New York Yankees. In August of 2014, Prince Fielder, a Boras client, signed for $214 million over nine years with the Detroit Tigers. Max Scherzer (7 years, $210 million with Washington Nationals in 2015), Mark Teixeira (8 years, 180 million with Yankees in 2008) and Stephen Strasburg (7 years, $175 million with Nationals in 2016) are just a few more players who have signed hefty deals under Boras’ watch.

The Red Sox have been relatively quiet this offseason as their only free-agent signing has been retaining first baseman Mitch Moreland on a two-year, $13 million deal.

It has been reported that Martinez is willing to wait until Spring Training until he receives the deal he is looking for.

Nate Rollins is an intern in the Boston 25 Sports department