The Atlanta Braves have brought back one of their late-season additions to their bullpen on a two-year deal that the team hopes will help shore up their relieving corps.
The Braves signed Chris Martin to a two-year, $14 million deal on Tuesday, making their second big bullpen free agent signing already of the offseason.
Martin was acquired by the Braves for left-handed starter Kolby Allard just before the trade deadline in July. He showed good strikeout stuff and command with Atlanta, striking out 22 and walking only 1 batter in 17.2 innings over the last couple of months of the season.
He finished the season with a 3.40 ERA in 58 appearances, with a 4.01 Atlanta earned run average.
Martin joins Will Smith, the former Giants closer who signed a three-year, $39 million dollar deal with Atlanta last week, as the two big additions to the Braves’ ‘pen in only the first month of the offseason.
General manager Alex Anthopolous is clearly making the Braves’ bullpen a priority as he looks to improve the team that won the NL East in 2019 before falling in the Division Series to the Cardinals.
Look for the Braves to make even more free agent signings as the offseason continues.
