Seth Martinez’s brief run with the Red Sox has come to an end, and the six-year big league veteran is back on the open market after electing free agency.
Boston brought Martinez in on a minor league deal in January of 2026, hoping the 32-year-old could provide some veteran relief depth if injuries hit. Instead, his season wound up mostly in Worcester, with just one appearance for the Red Sox at the major league level. That outing came on Aug. 11 against the Toronto Blue Jays, when he worked one inning and gave up one run.
Not long after that, Boston designated him for assignment. Martinez stayed in the organization, cleared through outright waivers, and finished the year with Triple-A Worcester. His official MLB.com profile now reflects that he has chosen free agency.
Martinez’s time in Boston was quiet, but the club never asked him to be more than a depth piece. Minor league deals like that rarely carry much downside, and Boston got a look at a pitcher with real big league mileage. Martinez has appeared in 118 career games, including that lone outing for the Red Sox, after first breaking in with the Houston Astros and later spending the 2025 season with the Miami Marlins.
There was a reason Boston was willing to take the shot. Martinez had shown useful stretches before arriving, including a 2.09 ERA in 29 games for Houston in 2022 and a 3.59 ERA in 44 appearances for the Astros in 2024. That level never carried over in his lone Red Sox season, though, and he never pushed his way into a larger role.
In Worcester, the results were uneven as well. Martinez posted a 5.42 ERA across 42 outings and 74 2/3 innings in Triple-A.
Even so, Boston’s bullpen was strong overall in 2026, so Martinez’s limited impact didn’t leave a mark on the big league club. Now he heads into free agency after a bumpy year in the organization.
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