The Blue Jays have signed free-agent catcher Russell Martin to a five-year deal, sources have confirmed to The Star.
No official announcement has been made, but the deal — first reported by baseball commentator Peter Gammons — is worth $82 million.
It’s the biggest free-agent signing of Alex Anthopoulos’s five-year tenure as the club’s general manager and the second-biggest contract in Jays’ history after Vernon Wells’ seven-year, $126-million deal.
Martin, who was born in East York and raised in Montreal, spent the last two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and was considered among the top free agents this offseason.
The 31-year-old has long been highly regarded for his defensive skills and pitch framing — the ability of a catcher to make balls look like strikes — but last season enjoyed a breakout offensive campaign, hitting .290 with a .402 on-base percentage and 11 home runs. He finished 13th in National League MVP voting.
With an annual average value of $16.4 million, Martin will become the third-highest paid Blue Jay, behind only Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes.
The signing comes as a surprise, not only for the deal’s length and dollars, but also because the Jays’ top off-season priorities were thought to be re-signing Melky Cabreraor another left fielder, acquiring a veteran second baseman and improving the bullpen.
By signing Martin — who turned down a one-year, $15.3-million qualifying offer from the Pirates — the Jays forfeit a first-round draft pick in 2015. But if Cabrera — who turned down a qualifying offer from the Jays — signs with another team, the Jays will get a pick back.
It’s yet unclear how the Martin deal will impact the club’s ability to re-sign Cabrera, who is reportedly seeking a five-year deal in excess of $70 million. Martin, a high-on-base-percentage hitter, figures to slot into the second spot in the Jays’ batting order, where Cabrera hit last season.
Martin’s signing suggests the Jays will try to trade catcher Dioner Navarro, who is under contract for one more year at $5 million. Navarro had a decent year at the plate in 2014, hitting .274 with a dozen homers, but is considered a defensive liability. He could theoretically stay on as Martin’s backup while also seeing time in the Jays’ currently vacant designated hitter role; however that appears unlikely. In that scenario the much-cheaper Josh Thole would be moved and either Navarro or Martin would have to learn to catch R.A. Dickey’s knuckleball.
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