The AL East is becoming one of the most competitive divisions in MLB, and the Boston Red Sox don’t want to be left behind. While awaiting developments on Alex Bregman’s potential return for the 2026 season, a former Miami Marlins player has joined the team to bolster the roster.
Andrew Parker, writer for Sox Prospects, reported that in recent hours the Red Sox have agreed to sign RHP Seth Martinez to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League spring training.
The Red Sox reportedly identified pitching as their biggest need, and while Parker’s addition to the team may not make him the biggest name at the position, he can contribute valuable experience that Boston needs.
The numbers behind Parker’s experience
The 31-year-old righty, Seth Martinez, spent the vast majority of the 2025 season anchoring the staff for Miami’s Triple-A affiliate, where he continued to flash his trademark swing-and-miss arsenal.
Seth Martinez #40 of the Miami Marlins.
In 43.2 innings of minor league work, Martinez posted a solid 3.71 ERA fueled by a dominant 29% strikeout rate, maintaining his reputation for high-whiff potential that has seen him fan over 30% of hitters across five Triple-A seasons.
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However, his opportunities at the Major League level remained sparse; he appeared in just six games for the Marlins, surrendering four runs and issuing three walks against four strikeouts over 6.2 frames.
While his career MLB marks—a 4.00 ERA and 20.5% strikeout rate across 117 appearances—suggest a reliable middle-relief profile, Martinez heads into 2026 looking to bridge the gap between his elite minor league dominance and his steady, yet less explosive, big-league results.
Boston still linked to Bregman
The Boston Red Sox remain the undisputed frontrunners to land Alex Bregman, having already tabled an “aggressive” multi-year offer to bring the All-Star third baseman back to Fenway for 2026.
While the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks are still hovering in the background, a reunion in Boston appears to be the most logical outcome as spring training approaches.
Despite the mutual interest and ongoing negotiations, the star Red Sox free agent still unsigned continues to weigh his options, leaving fans on edge while he holds out for a potential record-breaking deal.
