JD Martinez is Greatest Victim of Mookie Betts Trade and Red Sox Should Be Ashamed

Earlier this offseason, JD Martinez opted to remain in Boston through 2020, citing his desire to play for a World Series contender. There was no guarantee he would get that opportunity elsewhere should he test the free agent market, Martinez stated.

Just months later, he likely won't get that opportunity in Boston, either.

Boston has traded Mookie Betts, arguably the second-best player in all of baseball, to the Los Angeles Dodgers because they didn't intend to pay him when he hits free agency in the Winter of 2021.

Despite presiding over one of the most valuable franchises in all of baseball in a large market, the Red Sox claim they can't afford the investment. Boston's owners are making money hand over first, including in other ventures (cough: Liverpool), yet they tasked Chaim Bloom with doing the unthinkable: trading away a homegrown star to re-stash a farm system that may one day again feature...homegrown stars. None of this makes sense, and Martinez is the victim.

Martinez offered a year of value and a season of his prime to watch the Red Sox throw away their greatest chance at contention. Boston not only saved themselves money, they stole millions from Martinez in the process. He can't make that money back, and while we can joke about the depressed state of a multi-millionaire athlete losing money, dealing away Betts is inherently bad for all of baseball.

Just for fun, the Sox decided to screw over one of their own, as well.