Eric Samulski explains why fantasy baseball managers should consider targeting top-tier relief pitchers in drafts before revealing which late-inning arms he’s targeting this season.
Go to: All | SP | RP | C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | DH
| Chris Martin | TEX - RP | ||||||||||||
| Throws: R | Age: 38 | Mixed 5x5: $1 | AL 5x5: $3 | |||||||||||
| 2024: Started: 0 Relieved: 45 | Mixed 2026: $0 | 2027: $0 | ||||||||||||
| Outlook: Martin’s age-38 season saw him deal with a nagging left (non-throwing) shoulder injury, a stint on the IL due to anxiety and later a one-month absence due to a sore elbow, so it was easily understood when he came out in September and said 2025 would likely be his final season. As a free agent, he chose to return home to Texas, signing for $5.5 million despite more lucrative offers, including one to remain in Boston. Martin’s ERA tripled from his remarkable 2023 to last season, but his peripherals didn’t change much. His walk rate, always miniscule, hit a new low, as he walked just three -- including one intentionally -- of the 180 batters he faced. The Rangers could use him as a closer if they decline to continue upgrading the pen, but that seems like a bad idea; Martin needs a structured workload and is likely to spend some time on the IL again. He should be excellent while healthy, though. | |||||||||||||
