How Chris Martin Stabilizes Identity Of Red Sox Bullpen

With bullpen as an area of the Red Sox prioritized over the offseason, Chris Martin signed with Boston along with Kenley Jansen and Joely Rodríguez.

Jansen made the American League All-Star team this season and Rodríguez tossed seven straight scoreless outings prior to returning to the injured list.

While those relievers have been solid, what Martin has brought to Boston has totally changed the complexion of the Red Sox bullpen.

The veteran right-hander signed as a direct result of Boston’s inability to consistently throw strikes. The Red Sox posted the sixth-highest walk rate among MLB bullpens in 2022.

Martin, locked in as the club’s primary setup man in 2023, addressed that problem, entering Thursday with under two walks per nine innings. The righty consistently pounds the strike zone, makes quick work of his innings and serves as a dependable bridge to Jansen to lock down wins.

“The whole season he’s been holding it up,” Kenley Jansen said of his teammate, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage.

Martin extended a remarkable run in Thursday’s win over the Kansas City Royals. He tossed a 1-2-3 eighth inning with two strikeouts in a stretch where he has allowed just one earned run in 23 outings dating back to June 9. Martin posts a 0.44 ERA in that span, per NESN.

“I just prepare the same way and try to get outs,” Martin said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage.

Along with Martin and Jansen, arms such as Josh Winckowski and Brennan Bernardino have stepped into prominent roles to boost the bullpen. The returns of Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock will only deepen an already talented string of relievers.

“I think we got some reinforcements coming in, guys that can go multiple innings with Houck and Whitlock,” Martin added. “We’ve already had guys who have stepped up.”

Martin holds a 1.45 ERA as a star in the Boston bullpen that now posts the sixth-lowest walk rate in baseball in 2023.

While inconsistencies and injuries have swirled around him all season long, Martin has been a true constant in a bullpen that needed just that. While a quick eighth inning can often be overlooked, Martin offered another reminder Thursday of how vital his consistency is to Boston’s contending chances down the stretch.

“The bullpen was great,” Alex Cora said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “They attacked the zone with good stuff and we were able to close it.”