J.D. Martinez says he’s ‘probably not’ opting out of his contract

J.D. Martinez appears to be opting in to the final two years on his contract.

The Red Sox designated hitter told reporters Friday that he’s not leaning towards opting out of the final two years of a five-year, $110 million deal.

“I guess that’s up to [agent Scott Boras], but I think given the situation and everything, I’m probably not leaning that way,” Martinez said when asked about his impending opt out decision.

The final two years of Martinez’s contract are worth $38.7 million.

Martinez, who signed with the Red Sox prior to the 2018 season, made the All-Star team in his first two seasons in Boston, hitting .317 with a combined 79 home runs. He had a .300 batting average with three homes and 14 RBI during the Red Sox’ playoff run en route to a World Series title in 2018.

The 2020 season has been a different story for Martinez. He’s hitting a career-low .217 with just six homers in 51 games.

“You’re expected to perform at elite levels when there’s an entire epidemic going on in the world,” Martinez told reporters of his season on Friday. “It’s not really an excuse but it’s tough. It’s a lot to ask.”

Martinez said that the root of his problems was that he was rushing forward with his hips, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.