Victor Martinez signs four-year, $50-million deal with the Detroit Tigers

Description

Victor Martinez is a multifaceted player who will help the Detroit Tigers in three different areas catcher, first base, and designated hitter. On Friday, Martinez officially became a member of the Tigers, and Tigers general manager, Dave Dombrowski, noted that his primary role will be designated hitter. Martinez, a four-time All-Star with the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox, signed a four-year deal worth $50 million and passed a physical to come join a roster in desperate need of a middle of the order bat to provide some protection for All-star first baseman Miguel Cabrera. "We are thrilled to add a premier hitter like Victor Martinez to the Tigers organization," Dombrowski said. "Our top offseason priority was to add a proven bat in the middle of our lineup, and Victor is an established .300 hitter and run producer at the major league level. "We expect Victor to be in our lineup on a daily basis, serving primarily as our club's designated hitter and catching two to three times a week. He also has the ability to fill in at first base, and his versatility allows us to keep a premier bat in our lineup every day. We've discussed this role with Victor, and both sides are very pleased with what he brings to the Tigers organization." Martinez, a switch hitter, batted .302 with 20 home runs and 79 RBIs in 2010; however, he missed 22 games with a fractured left thumb. He was the only major league catcher to reach .300 and 20 homers in 2010. He batted .400 with a .742 <b>...</b>

Keywords

Dave Dombrowski, Jim Leyland, Joaquin Benoit, Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, 4-years, $50 million

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