J.D. MARTINEZ AND MOOKIE BETTS ARE THE BACKBONE OF A MOST HISTORIC RED SOX SEASON

BY MIKE PAYNE

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J.D. MARTINEZ

All last winter, J.D. Martinez dangled unclaimed on the free agent market, hoping his price tag – and his agent’s reputation – didn’t scare off teams looking for a bona fide slugger.

The Red Sox were rumored to have interest in November, but then Martinez waited, and waited, and waited while his agent, Scott Boros, and Boston negotiated.