He is a Dominican-American former professional baseball pitcher with a fortune estimated at over $70 million. From 1992 through 2009, Pedro Martinez was a major league baseball player. He was an eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner who played for the Boston Red Sox from 1997 to 2003. The Red Sox won their first World Series in 86 years in 2004 thanks to the support of Martinez.
The Beginnings of a Life and a Career of Pedro Martinez
Manoguayabo, San Domingo, Dominican Republic, was the place of Pedro Martinez‘s birth on October 25, 1971. One of six children, Leopoldina cleaned linens for the affluent and performed odd jobs to support him. As a young man, Martinez worked as a mechanic. At a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball camp in the Dominican Republic as an adolescent, he carried his elder brother Ramón’s luggage. In the 1989-90 Dominican Winter League season, Martinez made his professional debut with the Tigres del Licey. After pitching for the Azucareros del Este, he returned to Licey in 1991 to continue his career.
Both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Montreal Expos are participating in the World Series.
In a game against the Cincinnati Reds in September of 1992, Martinez made his MLB debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made a great impact as the team’s setup man in the next season, finishing 10-5 with 119 strikeouts in 65 games.
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Before the 1994 season, Martinez was dealt to the Montreal Expos, and it was there that he developed into one of the league’s best pitchers. In April, Martinez pitched a seven-and-a-half-inning perfect game. In a game against the San Diego Padres in June of the following year, he threw nine innings of perfection. When he signed with the Expos in 1997, he had a 17-8 record and led the league in ERA, strikeouts, and innings thrown. As a consequence, Martinez became the first and only Expos player to win the National League Cy Young Award.
Red Sox of Boston
Martnez was transferred to the Boston Red Sox in November 1997 and signed to a six-year, $75 million deal. While in his first season, he went 19-7 and finished second in the American League in ERA, strikeouts, and WHIP while making an early impact on the squad. In 1999, Martinez had an even better year, going 23-4 with a 2.07 ERA and 313 strikeouts in 31 games. Second Cy Young Award for him, too. He has ten straight starts with at least 10 strikeouts between August 1999 and April 2000. A 40-inning streak without striking out established a new record for him at this period. In the 1999 All-Star Game, Martnez extended his dominance by winning the MVP award. Later, he and the Red Sox reached the ALCS, where he threw seven scoreless innings in Game 3 against the Yankees. The Yankees lost just once in the playoffs.
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In 2000, Martinez had one of the best years of his career. After earning the lowest ERA in the league since 1978, he earned his third Cy Young Award. While pitching against the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, he fanned 17 men each. Over two games, these 32 strikeouts equaled Martinez for the most American League strikeouts. In 2001, Martinez was sidelined with a shoulder ailment for the most of the season. Further in 2002, he returned to the top of the league in terms of ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts. In 2003, Martinez again dominated the league in ERA and WHIP. Despite a decline in form in 2004, he helped the Red Sox win their first World Series in 86 years at the conclusion of the 2004 season. The 117-37 record Martinez had during his time with the Red Sox is the best winning percentage in baseball history.
Mets and Phillies of New York and Philadelphia
Martinez was a free agent in 2005 and signed with the New York Mets for $53 million over the course of four years. During his first season, he went 15-8 with a 2.82 ERA and 208 strikeouts in 208 innings pitched. In spite of a promising start, he was sidelined for the rest of the season due to hip and right-calf injuries. He was on the disabled list for the most of 2007. After a brief absence in September, Martinez returned to the field to win for the 207th time and record his 3,000th career strikeout. It was a disappointing year for him in 2008, as he was sidelined for the whole season after only four innings because of injuries.
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The Philadelphia Phillies signed Martinez to a one-year, $1 million deal in 2009. The club won each of his first seven starts, which was the first time in the franchise’s history that this happened with a debut pitcher. The Phillies advanced to the National League Championship Series before falling to the New York Yankees in the World Series in six games. Martinez announced his retirement in December of that year.
Earnings Throughout the Course of One’s Career
Pedro Martinez made $146 million in MLB salary alone throughout his playing career. His endorsement deals brought him tens of millions more. The Boston Red Sox paid him $17 million for the 2004 season, his biggest single-season compensation. After adjusted for inflation, that’s the equivalent as making $25 million today.
Participation in Post-match Activities
After retiring from baseball, Martinez worked for the Boston Red Sox for a few years as Ben Cherington special assistant. Later that year, he was appointed as a studio analyst for the MLB Network. Martinez was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the same year.
Personal Life of Pedro Martinez
A former sports sideline reporter who founded the philanthropic organization Pedro Martinez and Brothers Foundation with her husband, Carolina Cruz. Pedro Jr., Pedro Isaas, Enyol, and Nayla are the four children of the marriage.