Anastacio Martinez

Anastacio Euclides Martínez was a right-handed pitcher who spent 13 years playing professional baseball, mostly in the Red Sox organization. He spent most of his career as a starter before being converted to a reliever in 2003. He played one season in the majors, appearing in 11 games for the World Series champion 2004 Red Sox, appearing in 11 games (10⅔ innings) with a 2-1 record, five strikeouts, and an 8.44 ERA.

Martínez was born on November 3, 1978, in Villa Mella, Distrito Nacional, Dominican Republic. He attended high school at Liceo Santa Cruz de Villa Mella. Recalling his childhood, he said, “My mom and dad were always very close. We spent lots of time together and always looked out for each other: I have happy memories with my family.” His parents, Pedro Martínez and Susana Martínez Gonzalez, had a family farm – a working ranch – and Pedro sold meat as a butcher, while his mother took care of the family and the ranch. “My parents were attentive and always supported everything I did,” Anastacio said. “I practiced baseball here in Villa Mella before being signed. My life was just studying and playing baseball at that moment.”1

Martínez was signed by the Red Sox as a nondrafted free agent on January 6, 1998. He pitched two games for the Dominican Summer League Red Sox that year before being promoted to the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Red Sox in Fort Myers, Florida. He appeared in 12 games (starting 10), compiling a 2-3 record with a 3.18 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 51 innings.

Martínez began the 1999 season with the Augusta GreenJackets of the Class-A South Atlantic League, starting 10 games with a 2-4 record and a 6.30 ERA. He finished the year with the short-season Class-A Lowell Spinners, going 0-3 in 11 starts with a 3.68 ERA.

Martínez played for two teams in 2000, appearing in two games for the GCL Red Sox (going 0-1 with a 9.45 ERA) before returning to the GreenJackets. On August 20, 2000, he took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Asheville Tourists two days after teammate Eric Glaser pitched a no-hitter against the Hagerstown Suns.2

He gave up a one-out single to Jim Rinne on his 130th pitch of the game. Martínez recorded 14 strikeouts. It was the first time he pitched past the seventh inning and the first time he threw over 100 pitches that season.3 In a postgame interview, Martínez said, “I was upset that it didn’t happen, but I feel very proud of what I did today. I wish I could have pitched a no-hitter, but I think this is a pretty good day for me.”4 Augusta catcher Kelly Ramos said, “He has very good stuff, and that is the best stuff he’s had this season. It is too bad that he didn’t get his no-hitter, but he should be happy with what he did today. The last two or three starts he is pitching the best he has pitched all year.”5

Martínez had 23 starts for Augusta that season, with a 9-6 record, a 4.64 ERA, and 107 strikeouts in 120 innings pitched. The GreenJackets went 83-58 that year, winning the division title.    

As the 2001 season began Martínez was promoted to the Sarasota Red Sox of the High-A Florida State League. He began to pitcher deeper into games, going six innings or more in 17 of his 24 starts, and improved as the season went on. His April ERA was 5.79 after five outings. In his next 20 starts, his ERA was 2.77.6 Martínez led the team with 145 innings pitched, 24 games started, and 123 strikeouts. He ended the season with a 9-12 record and a 3.35 ERA. He pitched a career-high 145 innings.

Martínez played the entire 2002 season with the Trenton Thunder of the Double-A Eastern League, compiling a record of 5-12 and 139 innings pitched. He struck out 127, the second most of any Red Sox minor-league pitcher and was third in strikeouts in the Eastern League. His record doesn’t fully reflect his performance. When allowing three runs or fewer, Martínez received a loss or a no-decision in 12 of those starts. He allowed two runs or fewer in 11 starts.7

2003 saw Martínez’s role change from starter to relief pitcher. He started in Triple A with the Pawtucket Red Sox but was moved down to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs.8 On July 22, 2003, Martínez and Brandon Lyon were traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Scott Sauerbeck and Mike González.

Martínez was assigned to the Altoona Curve of the Double-A Eastern League, for whom he pitched in only three games. Ten days later the same trade essentially occurred again, in reverse. The Pirates sent Martínez, Brandon Lyon, and Jeff Suppan back to Boston for Mike González and Freddy Sanchez. This was due to elbow concerns with Lyon’s elbow.9 Martínez finished the season with Portland, leading the team in saves with 14 through 40 innings pitched. He did not allow an earned run in 25 of his 34 outings and allowed more than one earned run just once.10 He was called up back to Triple-A Pawtucket on August 1, and finished the season with a record of 2-1, with 15 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched.

With the Pawtucket Red Sox in 2004, Martínez pitched in 38 games, with a 3-3 record, 57 strikeouts in 58⅔ innings, and a 3.74 ERA over the course of the year. He was called up to the Red Sox in May, and won his first appearance in relief of fellow Dominican Pedro Martínez (no relation) against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 22, 2004. He relieved Pedro in the seventh inning with the game tied 2-2. He pitched a perfect seventh, beginning by striking out Simon Pond. Orlando Hudson then grounded out and Frank Menechino flied out to center. Mark Bellhorn gave the Red Sox a 3-2 lead with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the inning. Martínez gave up a bunt single to Reed Johnson to open the eighth and was relieved by Alan Embree. Keith Foulke closed the game in the ninth. All three relievers pitched scoreless ball.

After the game Pedro Martínez said, “I’m happy to see Anastacio get a win in his first try. I’m very happy for him. This game was televised live in the Dominican Republic so his family got to see him. It’s his first win. I know how big that is.”11 Pedro then acted as an English interpreter for Anastacio for a postgame interview; Anastacio said he “had butterflies before the first pitch, but I was comfortable after that.”12

Anastacio later recalled that game. “It was an unforgettable experience: My family was super happy at home, enjoying and celebrating the triumph. It was an honor to have stood in for a person so important in my country like Pedro Martínez. No matter how many times I talk about it, I always feel proud to have relieved a gentleman like him. I had a good relationship with him; we supported each other and kept an eye out for each other. He’s a tremendous human being and a tremendous person.”13

Anastacio continued to work out of the bullpen with the Red Sox, frequently entering the game in the seventh. He picked up his second win on May 30 against the Seattle Mariners, entering in the 11th against the heart of the order to face Raul Ibanez, Bret Boone, and John Olerud. Martínez stranded one runner in the 11th and in the 12th allowed no runners to reach base, including Ichiro Suzuki. In the bottom of the 12th, right fielder Dave McCarty hit a two-run walk-off home run off J.J. Putz for a 9-7 win for Boston.

Martínez’s next notable outing was on June 9 against the San Diego Padres. He entered in the seventh with the Red Sox down 4-0. Mark Loretta led off the inning with a double and Phil Nevin homered, leaving the Red Sox down 6-0 when he completed the inning. Boston lost the game 8-1.

 Three days later, on June 12, Martínez relieved Tim Wakefield in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers with the Red Sox down 5-2 and the bases loaded. It was the worst outing of his season; he allowed all three inherited runners to score, hitting a batter and giving up a single and two walks to leave the game down 9-2 with three on. Mark Malaska allowed two of those runners to score, leaving Martínez charged with four earned runs.

Martínez’s final appearance in the majors, and with the Red Sox, came on July 2 against the Atlanta Braves. He entered the game in the bottom of the 11th and allowed a single to Adam LaRoche. The 12th didn’t go as smoothly. A single by Mark DeRosa and a double by Rafael Furcal set up a walk-off three-run home run by Nick Green to end the game 6-3. He was optioned back to Triple-A Pawtucket, where he finished the season.

Martínez’s cousin, catcher Angel “Sandy” Martínez, also played (later in the season) for the 2004 Red Sox. They are the only relatives to play for a Red Sox World Series champion team.

In March 2005 the Red Sox released Martínez but re-signed him two weeks later. He spent the entire season once again in Pawtucket. He appeared in 35 games (6 starts). His record was 3-4 with one save over 58⅔ innings with 46 strikeouts. Martínez was released on October 15, 2005.

The Washington Nationals signed Martínez on February 6, 2006, and assigned him to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators. He started two games, going 2-0 with a 3.65 ERA and 11 strikeouts through 12⅓ innings pitched before being promoted to the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs. Martínez continued to work as a starter in 24 games. He led the team with 115 strikeouts in 128⅔ innings. He allowed the second most earned runs on the team, ending his season with a 4.48 ERA and a 5-11 record. At the plate, he recorded five hits and two RBIs, the sum total of all his minor- and major-league career.

After the season, Martínez joined the Estrellas de Oriente of the Dominican Winter League. He started three games, going 0-1 with a 2.45 ERA.

On January 18, 2007, the Nationals optioned Martínez to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators. He was used as a starter, going 0-2 with a 4.88 ERA through 24 innings pitched before being moved back up to Triple A with the International League’s Columbus Clippers, where he split his time starting and in relief. (2-3, 4.73 ERA).

On June 20, 2007, the Nationals sold Martínez’s contract to the Detroit Tigers,14 who optioned him to Triple-A Toledo. He was once again used as a starter and reliever, finishing 4-4, 4.24. Again he played in the Dominican Winter League for the Estrellas de Oriente

The 2008 season was Martínez’s last in Organized Baseball. He started the season with Toledo, but was sent down to the Double-A Erie SeaWolves after going 2-7 with a 5.29 ERA. For the SeaWolves he made only three appearances in relief, and was released on September 5, 2008. Martínez once again pitched in the Dominican Winter League with the Estrellas de Oriente.

For the 2009 season, Martínez signed with the Sinon Bulls in Taichung, Taiwan, of the Chinese Professional Baseball League. Once again he worked in the dual role of starter and reliever.

Martínez recalled his playing time in Taiwan, including difficulties he faced. “It was very difficult to play in Taiwan, especially with the language, but we survived,” he said. “If you like to play baseball, you have to get used to surviving however you can. At first it was difficult, but I got used to it in the end. But it was hard being in a place so different from my home. One time we practiced at a university where they had never seen or met anyone with my skin color – everyone was surprised and staring. But it was a good experience, and I was with one of my friends as well, Wilton Veras.”15

Martínez returned to North America for the 2010 season with the Calgary Vipers of the independent Golden Baseball League as a starter. He made nine starts in his 10 appearances and finished with a 2-4 record, 43 innings pitched, and a 7.74 ERA. As a batter he was 4-for-15.

As of 2023 Martínez worked with José Offerman at his baseball academy in the Dominican Republic.16 He and his wife, Nieves, have a daughter, Susan. In his 2023 interview, he said, “I have my wife and my daughter. She’s 10 years old. Our life here is quiet and relaxed.” Looking back on his career, he recalled, “There is nothing better than being beside so many superstars like Pedro Martínez, David Ortiz, and Manny Ramírez. I don’t think there is a better experience than that. It was unforgettable and so special.”17

Sources

Sources used include a telephone interview conducted with Anastacio Martínez on September 23, 2023, and multiple articles from the Augusta Chronicle and the Boston Globe. Thanks as well to Sandy Martínez.

Statistics were taken from the Red Sox Media Guide, Baseball-Reference.com, and Baseball Almanac.

Notes

1 Anastacio Martínez, telephone interview, September 23, 2023. Interview conducted and translated from Spanish by Emma Conrad.

2 Rob Mueller, “Single in Ninth Inning – Spoils Second No-Hitter,” Augusta (Georgia) Chronicle, August 21, 2000: C01. 

3 2004 Boston Red Sox Media Guide, https://archive.org/details/bostonredsoxmedi2004bost/.

4 Mueller.

5 Mueller.

6 2004 Boston Red Sox Media Guide.

7 2004 Boston Red Sox Media Guide.

8 Rich Thompson, “PawSox’ Trek Tough Without Stars,” Boston Herald, May 23, 2003.

9 Bill Ballou, “Back to Boston for Suppan, Lyon,” Worcester (Massachusetts) Telegram & Gazette, August 1, 2003.

10 Mueller.

11 Alan Wood, “Going Deep for the Win,” Nashua (New Hampshire) Telegraph, May 23, 2004: C-1.

12 Wood.

13 Martínez interview.

14 https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/trades.php?p=martian01.

15 Martínez interview.

16 https://www.instagram.com/jobaseballacademy/?hl=en.

17k Martínez interview.