'It's fun to be here': J.D. wants to stay in Boston after '22

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Now that the designated hitter is universal, Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez should have a lot of destinations to choose from when he becomes a free agent following the 2022 season.

While Martinez likes how this will improve his market, the truth is that he doesn’t have any desire to put on another uniform.

The right-handed-hitting masher hopes his fifth season in Boston won’t be his last.

“I would love it," Martinez said. "I’ve expressed where I stand with the team and I would love to finish my career here. That isn’t up to me, really.”

Ultimately, it will come down to the business of baseball. But Martinez has left no uncertainty with the Red Sox as to how he feels about playing for Boston.

“I’ve loved it here the whole time," Martinez said. "I’ve expressed my feelings toward the front office, I’ve told them -- I’ve told [chief baseball officer] Chaim [Bloom], I’ve told [manager] Alex [Cora] -- I love the group here. I love the personnel, everyone, the coaching staff -- I get along here with everybody. I think it’s a first-class organization. I’ve been part of some pretty good organizations with Detroit and Arizona, but this takes the cake. The Red Sox -- it’s fun to be here.”

Never did Martinez have more fun than in his first season with the Sox in 2018, which ended with him sitting on a duck boat during a championship parade through the streets of Boston. After what Martinez was a part of last season, an overachieving squad that came just two wins away from getting back to the World Series, he is thirsty for another duck boat ride.

In the unique contract that Martinez and agent Scott Boras agreed to four years ago, there were opt-out clauses after the second, third and fourth seasons.

For differing reasons, Martinez opted back in all three times.

Would he have opted out this past offseason if he knew for sure the universal DH would be installed as part of the new CBA?

“I don’t think so,” said Martinez. “I think I made the right decision, personally, and I’m excited to be here. I think this team has a chance to win again and that’s what I want to do. I want to win. I’m starting to go towards later on in my career and trying to win the most is the most fun.”

Other than the winning, what is it that Martinez loves so much about the Boston baseball experience?

“The passion,” Martinez said. “I talk about it all the time with my friends and family. When I first came here, everybody was like, ‘Are you going to be able to handle it? The media and the fans and all that stuff?’ And I was like, ‘Dude, there’s nobody harder on myself than me.’ They’re writing how bad I am and I’m at home pissed off because of how bad I am, trying to find out ways to [make it] work. The passion of the fans and the media and demand kind of fits my personality well.”

At the age of 34, Martinez should again be a force in 2022, teaming with shortstop Xander Bogaerts and third baseman Rafael Devers to form one of the most potent middle-of-the-order trios in the game.

Once again, you’ll be able to find Martinez in the cage early and often, and also the video room. He remains obsessive about the art of hitting and that will probably never change.

“I’ve always been a perfectionist. I’ve always wanted to be the best,” Martinez said. “I had a taste of failure early in my career, getting released and everything. It’s always put that sour taste in my mouth and I never wanted to feel like that again. I’ve always held that deep in my heart.”

While the Red Sox have firsthand experience with a DH who raked until the age of 40 in David Ortiz, Martinez has a more current source of inspiration these days.

Nelson Cruz, who will turn 42 on July 1, just signed a one-year, $12 million deal with the Nationals.

“I tell him every time I see him, 'Nelson, you're my hero.' He starts laughing, he goes, 'Why?' I was like, 'I don't know how you do it, man. It's unbelievable.' I mean, the guys throw harder and Nelson just keeps getting older and keeps hitting,” Martinez said. “He's unbelievable. If that's the case [for me], thank God. But those guys are outliers.”

It remains to be seen if Martinez will become one of those outliers. While he loves winning and hitting, he also loves spending time on his boat and the other outdoor hobbies that are so easy to maintain year-round when you live in South Florida.

“It's tough. It's tough on your body. It's tough on your time. You know, one thing you can never get back in life is time,” Martinez said. “So it's one of those things where I'd love to stick around. Obviously, I'm not ready [to retire] yet, but to play into my 40s, that's kind of wild. You know, everyone loves talking about Tom Brady and he's the best and he's the GOAT, but what Nelson is doing right now is I think very impressive, too.”