JD Martinez Thanks Tigers, Fans On Twitter After Being Traded To D-Backs

The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired J.D. Martinez from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for three prospects on Tuesday, and the outfielder quickly jumped on Twitter early Wednesday to thank the city of Detroit, its Major League Baseball team and its fans.

JD Martinez Trade Diamondbacks Tigers

Martinez, 29, said he felt “mixed emotions” about leaving the Tigers, and thanked general manager Al Avila, manager Brad Ausmus and the Ilitch family — which owns the team and is led by Ilitch Holdings, Inc. president and CEO Christopher Ilitch — for signing him from the Houston Astros in March 2014.

“They believed in me and gave me an opportunity when others wouldn’t,” Martinez wrote of the Tigers’ front office. “Detroit and the Tigers will always have a special place in my heart. Detroit will forever be my home away from home.”

Before the Tigers, Martinez had played with the Astros for two seasons (2011-2013).

The outfielder — who is of Cuban descent — missed time with a foot injury earlier this year. However, since Martinez returned he has been hitting 305/.388/.630 (167 OPS+) with 16 home runs and 39 RBIs in 57 games this season. The slugger also smacked 38 homers and drove in 102 runs in 2015 and hit 22 homers in 120 games last season.

Martinez has been particularly successful against left-handed pitching. He is earning $11.75 million this season, after which he will likely become a free agent.

“I don’t think he was surprised,” Avila said of Martinez following the news of his trade. “I think he was hoping it didn’t happen, quite frankly. I didn’t want it to happen. I wanted to be out here in first place. I think it was hard for him because, like he said, this is his home. This is where he became J.D. Martinez.”

Martinez left late in the Tigers’ 10-2 road victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night after feeling soreness in his back, a feeling that coincided with heightened speculation among fans on social media that Detroit was close to completing a swap. Martinez revealed that dozens of friends and family members, including his mother, texted him that night to ask if he had been dealt.

“The timing was really, really bad,” Avila said. “Here we were yesterday coming close to a deal and he comes out of a game. That was really awkward.”

Martinez and Avila are very close, as the outfielder explained.

“Me and Al go way back. He’s like family to me, close to family as you can get in baseball. I know it was hard for him,” said Martinez. “I’m not mad about it. … Next year and the offseason, you never know what’s going to happen in this game.”

The Tigers (43-49) have struggled this season despite winning five of their last six games. Detroit is currently fourth in the American League Central and is desperate for a right-handed bat in order to make a viable run at the playoffs. Martinez’s prowess as a right-handed slugger will surely benefit the D-backs when they face lefty pitchers like the National League West’s Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner, Alex Wood, and Kyle Freeland. 

As part of the trade with the Diamondbacks, the Tigers acquired infield prospects Dawel Lugo, Sergio Alcantara and Jose King. 

Lugo (SS/3B), 22, is hitting .282 with seven home runs and 43 RBIs at Jackson (Double-A); Alcantara (SS/2B), 21, is hitting .279 with three home runs and 28 RBIs at Visalia (high Class A); and King (SS/2B), 18, is hitting .261 with no home runs and nine RBIs for the Diamondbacks’ rookie league club.

The Diamondbacks (54-39) are 10.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for the lead in the NL West, but hold a six-game lead on a wild-card spot.

Martinez is expected to join Arizona’s lineup on Wednesday for the second game of a three-game road series against the Cincinnati Reds. He will likely replace Yasmany Thomas in left field after the outfielder suffered a groin injury that is believed to keep him out for several weeks.

According to CBS’s Mike Axisa, the D-backs’ regular lineup will probably look similar to this now that Martinez is included:

1. CF A.J. Pollock
2. RF David Peralta
3. 1B Paul Goldschmidt
4. 3B Jake Lamb
5. LF J.D. Martinez
6. SS Chris Owings
7. 2B Brandon Drury
8. C Jeff Mathis
9. Pitcher

DETROIT, MI – JUNE 29: J.D. Martinez #28 of the Detroit Tigers avoids an inside pitch during the third inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on June 29, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Royals 7-3. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)