Craig Breslow has been wheeling and dealing this offseason, reshaping the Red Sox roster with a flurry of trades-many of which have cost Boston key bullpen arms. With multiple relievers shipped out to clear 40-man roster space, the Sox now face a glaring need: someone dependable to handle late-inning pressure. And for a while, it looked like a familiar face might fill that void.
Veteran right-hander Chris Martin, who pitched for Boston in 2023 and 2024, had been mulling retirement. But as of December 16, that door officially closed-just not in the way the Red Sox had hoped.
Martin has decided to keep going into 2026, but he won’t be doing it in a Red Sox uniform. Instead, he’s heading back to the Lone Star State, signing a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers, pending a physical.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for Martin, a Texas native, and it ends any hope of a reunion in Boston.
That stings for the Red Sox, because Martin was nothing short of elite during his time in Boston. In 2023, he was lights-out: a 1.05 ERA, 1.032 WHIP, and an eye-popping 199 ERA+ over 51.1 innings, with 46 strikeouts and just eight walks.
That performance earned him a 12th-place finish in American League Cy Young voting-a rare feat for a reliever. While his numbers dipped in 2024, he was still a high-leverage asset, posting a 3.45 ERA with 50 strikeouts and only three walks in 44.1 innings.
Boston was reportedly willing to offer more money to bring Martin back, which speaks volumes about how much they valued his presence. But in the end, Martin chose the comfort of home and the chance to continue his career with the reigning World Series champions.
Even at 40, Martin is showing no signs of fading. In 2025 with Texas, he delivered a 2.98 ERA, 174 ERA+, and a solid 43-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 42.1 innings. His pinpoint command remains one of his calling cards, and when he’s healthy, he’s still one of the most effective bullpen arms in the game.
That said, durability has become a concern. Martin’s innings have dipped over the past three seasons, and he’s dealt with a string of injuries-ranging from an infection and anxiety during his Red Sox tenure to a calf strain that sidelined him for about two months in 2025. So while the upside is clear, so is the risk.
For Boston, this missed opportunity leaves a hole. The bullpen still boasts serious firepower-Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman form a formidable late-inning combo-but adding Martin to that mix could’ve turned it into a nightmare scenario for opposing hitters. A Whitlock-Chapman-Martin trio would’ve given the Sox one of the most experienced and overpowering back ends in the league.
Instead, Boston will need to look elsewhere to replace the innings and reliability Martin could’ve provided. The offseason is far from over, but the Red Sox just saw one of their best bullpen options slip away-and head straight to a rival contender.