The first domino in a long and complicated offseason fell for the Red Sox on Monday, as slugger J.D. Martinez decided not to test free agency, meaning Boston's biggest run producer in recent years will be back for at least one more season -- presuming he isn't traded first.
Questions about the designated hitter's future loomed for months dating back to the summer, and they heated up when Boston began falling out of playoff contention. Martinez, 32, has three years and $62.5 million left on his contract, putting Chaim Bloom, Boston's new chief baseball officer, in position to make the first major decisions of his tenure, with the ramifications of Martinez's decision generating ripple effects throughout the organization.