Texas Rangers introduce latest free agent addition, another arm for rebuilt bullpen

The Texas Rangers held an introductory press conference for the signing of relief pitcher Chris Martin on Tuesday continuing their busy offseason.

Martin previously spent parts of two seasons with the Rangers from 2018 to 2019 before being traded from the franchise to the Atlanta Braves where he would spend the next three seasons of his career.

Martin, a Texas native who attended Arlington High School, explained what brought him back to his hometown on a one-year deal and how he’s changed since his last stint.

“A lot weighed into the decision, obviously, I think they got a really good team, play really good defense, being close to home helped, obviously, getting a little bit older, a little bit bigger family...I’ve always enjoyed pitching at the new stadium,” Martin said. “I got traded from [the Rangers] to a situation, got some playoff experience, played in the postseason I think the next four years after leaving the Rangers. I think those things help you grow as a player, being able to play in those situations and obviously [getting] more games under my belt. So, a lot more leverage, innings, things like that, and just growing as a person, maturing, turning into a man.”

When Martin initially signed with the Rangers he had less than 30 games of MLB experience and had just pitched two years in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League.

He returns following perhaps the best two-year stretch of his career going 7-2 with a 2.16 ERA in 95.6 innings pitched for the Boston Red Sox and placed 12th in Cy Young Award voting during the 2023 season.

The Colorado Rockies drafted Martin in the 21st round of the 2005 MLB Draft but a torn labrum suffered while playing at McLennan Community College caused him to step away from baseball.

After getting a job at a warehouse, Martin was convinced by a coworker he frequently played catch with to give pro baseball another try.

Martin would get his opportunity with the Grand Prairie AirHogs of the Independent American Association in 2010 before eventually signing with the Boston Red Sox in 2011 before being traded and making his MLB debut for the Rockies during the 2014 season.

Rangers general manager Ross Fenstermaker explained what Young brings to the team.

“First of all, familiarity with the person and the competitor that he is. [He’s] Known [Chris Young] for a long time, excited to bring him back, knowing that he wanted to be here,” said Fenstermaker. “In terms of the on-field performance, I think it’s been, one of the better or best relievers over the last three years, in terms of performance, [a] consistent theme is an elite strike thrower... he’s pitched in a variety of roles, and he’s as consistently reliable as any reliever that we thought was available in the free agent market.”

The Rangers hope Martin can help stabilize a bullpen that ranked near the bottom of the league with a 4.41 ERA (26th) last season.

Martin joins offseason additions Joc Pederson, Shawn Armstong, Robert Garcia, Hoby Milner, Kyle Higashioka and Jake Burger who were all signed or traded for in an attempt to get the Rangers back to the postseason.