J.D. Martinez Reportedly Exercises $19.4M Red Sox Contract Option for 2022 Season

J.D. Martinez is staying put.

The Boston Red Sox slugger reportedly exercised his player option Sunday with the team for the 2022 campaign that is worth $19.4 million, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network. 

"I'm right in the middle," Martinez said in September when revealing he hadn't made up his mind on the option, per Rob Bradford of WEEI. "It's a balancing line, and I'm right in the middle. I haven't made a decision. I don't worry about that stuff, but right now I'm right in the middle."

Boston signed him to a five-year deal that featured multiple opt-out clauses ahead of the 2018 season. It could not have worked out better for the American League East team.

Martinez was an All-Star in three of his first four years with the Red Sox with the only exception coming during the shortened 2020 campaign when there was no All-Star Game. The team also won a World Series in its first year with him in the lineup in part because he slashed .300/.403/.520 with three home runs and 14 RBI in those playoffs.

That 2018 campaign was also the best individual effort of his career.

He slashed .330/.402/.629 with 43 home runs and 130 RBI while taking home the Silver Slugger. Just that season alone for a team that won the championship would have been enough to make him a Red Sox legend, but he was impressive again in 2019 when he slashed .304/.383/.557 with 36 home runs and 105 RBI.

While Martinez was somewhat inconsistent during the shortened 2020 season, he bounced back in 2021 with 28 long balls and 99 RBI while helping the Red Sox reach the ALCS, where they were eliminated by the Houston Astros.

The 34-year-old also had stints with the Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers and Arizona Diamondbacks and has proved he can hit for both power and average at different times in his career. 

He is a three-time Silver Slugger and four-time All-Star and will look to add to his accolades with at least one more season in Boston.

Martinez may have a larger market of suitors if he becomes a free agent after the 2022 season since the universal designated hitter may be on the way. That could help him transition into the latter portion of his career as someone who can solely focus on maintaining his offensive abilities.