Bold headline alert: a seasoned bullpen anchor returns, and the Rangers are banking on continuity and experience to fuel their late-inning game. Chris Martin has agreed to a one-year deal to rejoin Texas, pending a physical, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The team has not officially announced the contract yet.
Even as he approaches his 40th year in 2026, Martin continues to defy age with dependable performance. Injuries have limited him at times, especially over the last two seasons, but his on-field results tell a different story: a 2.60 ERA over the 2022-25 span demonstrates his effectiveness when healthy.
Martin stands 6-foot-8, a towering and imposing presence on the mound. His arsenal includes a four-seam fastball that averaged 94.7 mph last season, complemented by a cutter, splitter, sinker, and sweeper. His career is a long and winding one: drafted by the Rockies in 2005, he endured a torn labrum that sidelined him for years until a 2010 comeback attempt in independent ball in Grand Prairie, Texas.
His journey continued with the Red Sox in 2011, followed by a trade to Colorado ahead of the 2014 season—his MLB debut year came with the Rockies. After challenging stints with the Rockies and Yankees in 2015, Martin broadened his horizons in Japan, thriving from 2016-17 with the Nippon Ham Fighters in Nippon Professional Baseball.
Now back home with his original winter-turned-big-league hometown club, the Rangers, Martin has established himself as a reliable bullpen piece. Over eight seasons across the Rangers, Braves, Cubs, Dodgers, and Red Sox, he has posted a solid 3.04 ERA over 352 2/3 innings. He returned to Texas for the 2025 season, delivering a 2.98 ERA across 49 appearances, underscoring why the club chose to bring him back for another year.
Controversy-forward note: some may question whether a 40-year-old reliever represents the best use of roster flexibility, or whether the Rangers should pursue younger, high-upside arms. Others might argue that Martin’s proven track record in key moments makes him worth the investment in a division race. As the season unfolds, readers are invited to weigh in: Do you value reliability and veteran presence in high-leverage situations, or do you prioritize ceiling and long-term team-building? Share your take in the comments and tell us where you stand on this veteran return.
