Victor Martinez Rumors: Latest Buzz and Speculation Surrounding Star DH

Victor Martinez has reportedly reached a new contract with the Detroit Tigers, pending a physical.

Continue for updates. 

Wednesday, Nov. 12

Martinez Reportedly Returns to Tigers

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports provides an update on Victor Martinez's negotiations with the Detroit Tigers:

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports previously reported a deal was near:

Tuesday, Nov. 11

Dave Dombrowski Says Martinez is "Top Priority" for Tigers

Bob Baum of The Associated Press (via The Oakland Press) has the latest on the Tigers' quest to keep Martinez in Detroit:

"

Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski says the Tigers’ top priority is re-signing Victor Martinez now that the slugger is a free agent after declining the team’s qualifying offer.

“We like Victor. We hope he remains with us,” Dombrowski said Tuesday at baseball’s general managers meetings. “We’ll see what happens.”

"

Martinez Declines Tigers Qualifying Offer

Victor Martinez had a sensational 2014 season for the Detroit Tigers, which gave him considerable leverage entering the winter as a free agent.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported on October 27 that Martinez and the Tigers wanted to reunite for the foreseeable future but that the All-Star designated hitter was demanding a four-year contract.

Now, as Chris Iott of MLive.com reports, Martinez has declined a qualifying offer from the Tigers:

The combination of Martinez's age, 35, and the fact that he is coming off a career year makes such a long-term investment difficult to negotiate. Martinez hit .335 with 32 home runs and 103 RBI and struck out just 42 times in 2014.

That knack for making contact prompted MLB.com's Steve Berthiaume to tweet the following:

"

Victor Martinez might be as tough an out in a big spot as there is.

— Steve Berthiaume (@BertDbacks) October 5, 2014"

But even Martinez was surprised at how much pop he had amid his unprecedented penchant for dingers in 2014, via Iott:

Over the course of his prior four-year, $50 million deal with Detroit, Martinez produced well when he was healthy. The big question is whether he can keep up his outstanding hitting as he gets deeper into his career.

Since Martinez is unrestricted on the open market, though, clubs craving a big bat could pony up the cash and turn Martinez's courtship into an escalating bidding war. Based on his .306 career regular-season average across more than a decade, a big payday is certainly warranted.

The Tigers, who appear to have the inside track, should do everything possible to retain Martinez. An ankle injury to superstar Miguel Cabrera combined with the potential loss of pitching ace Max Scherzer in free agency threaten to knock Detroit back a step in 2015.

If Martinez leaves, the odds of a down year in Detroit increase—barring alternative, genius roster moves to keep the reigning American League Central champions among Major League Baseball's best.