Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Returns from suspension, optioned
Rotowire
The Blue Jays reinstated Martinez from his 80-game suspension Monday and optioned him to the rookie-level Florida Complex League.
Martinez was handed an 80-game ban in June for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drugs policy and began a rehab assignment Sept. 6 at Triple-A Buffalo. With Buffalo's season ending Sunday and the Blue Jays not eager to open up a spot for him on the active roster for the final week of the season, Martinez will head to Toronto's spring training complex in Florida for additional work. Despite the suspension presenting a bump in the road in his development, the 22-year-old performed well in 74 games at Triple-A Buffalo this season, batting .267 with 17 home runs and 49 RBI. Martinez should get every opportunity in the spring to compete for a spot on Toronto's Opening Day roster.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Resumes playing in minors
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Martinez (suspension) began a minor-league assignment Sept. 6 with Triple-A Buffalo and has gone 7-for-24 with a home run, a triple, three doubles, three walks, three RBI and three runs through his first six games.
Martinez was eligible to begin the assignment 15 days before he's eligible to be reinstated from his 80-game suspension Monday. After receiving a promotion from Triple-A, Martinez made his MLB debut June 21 but was suspended two days later for violating baseball's performance-enhancing drugs policy. According to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca, Martinez won't return to the Blue Jays' 28-man active roster this season, so expect Toronto to add him back to the 40-man roster but immediately option him to Triple-A once his suspension lapses.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Suspended 80 games for PED use
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Major League Baseball announced Sunday that Martinez has been suspended for 80 games for violating the league's drug prevention and treatment program, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Two days after making his major-league debut against the Guardians, Martinez was dealt the 80-game ban for testing positive for clomiphene, a fertility drug on the league's banned substance list. In a statement following Martinez's suspension, Toronto general manager Ross Atkins fully supported the league's suspension of the 22-year-old prospect and said that the Blue Jays "will do everything in our power to ensure [Martinez] has learned from this mistake," per Davidi. The suspension will keep Martinez out of action until the tail end of the season, with a possible return date of Sept. 23 lining up with the start of the Blue Jays' penultimate series of the season against the Red Sox.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Picks up first big-league hit
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Martinez went 1-for-3 in Friday's loss to the Guardians.
Getting his first career MLB start while batting eighth as the second baseman, Martinez poked a single up the middle to lead off the sixth inning for his first career hit, but the rest the Toronto offense failed to bring him around to score. The 22-year-old also committed his first career error, and defense remains the biggest obstacle between him and a regular spot in the lineup. Martinez seems likely to head back to Triple-A Buffalo once Bo Bichette (calf) gets healthy, but if the Blue Jays become sellers at the trade deadline, a permanent spot could open up in the majors for the top prospect.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Making first start Friday
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Martinez will start at second base and bat eighth in Friday's game versus the Guardians.
It will be the first major-league start for Martinez, who was on the bench for two straight contests following his promotion. The 22-year-old is one of the better power-hitting prospects in baseball, but he does struggle to make contact and isn't regarded as a great defender. Getting him playing time does not appear to be a priority for the Blue Jays during this stint, but he will have a chance to show what he can do Friday.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Called up to big leagues
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The Blue Jays recalled Martinez from Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday.
Martinez is taking the roster spot vacated by Bo Bichette (calf), who has landed on the 10-day injured list. It's the first major-league promotion for Martinez, who has slashed .260/.343/.523 with 16 home runs over 63 games this season with Buffalo. The 22-year-old can play second base, third base and shortstop, although he hasn't seen any time at the latter position this season. Martinez should see some action at second and/or third base while Bichette is out, with Isiah Kiner-Falefa likely to settle in at shortstop.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Returns to action at Triple-A
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Martinez (knee) has started in both of Triple-A Buffalo's last two games Sunday and Tuesday, going 1-for-7 with a home run and two walks between those contests.
Martinez was lifted in Friday's 12-7 win over Worcester when he was hit in the right knee by a pitch in the eighth inning, but after getting Saturday off, the 22-year-old looks to be healthy again. He's posted a .909 OPS through 154 plate appearances with Buffalo this season and should have a chance at making his MLB debut later on in 2024.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Exits after HBP
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Martinez left Friday's game with Triple-A Buffalo in the eighth inning after being hit on the right knee by a pitch, Julia Kreuz of MLB.com reports.
The 22-year-old tried to take first base but was showing pain in his first couple steps, so he was removed as a precaution. The injury doesn't appear to be serious, but Martinez could be held out for the rest of the weekend series against Worcester if the Blue Jays want to make sure their top hitting prospect is 100 percent before he gets back in the lineup. Martinez is slashing .276/.359/.551 through 34 games for Buffalo with nine homers and a 13:31 BB:K.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Sent to minor-league camp
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The Blue Jays optioned Martinez to Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday.
Martinez was never a likely bet to crack Toronto's Opening Day roster given the club's infield depth, but he certainly didn't help himself during spring training with a .566 OPS in 20 plate appearances. Barring any major changes late in camp, the 22-year-old is set to return to Buffalo to begin 2024, where he posted a .263/.340/.507 slash line in 55 games after being promoted from Double-A last July.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Jumps to Triple-A
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Martinez was promoted to Triple-A Buffalo on Monday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Martinez owns a .226 batting average through 70 contests at Double-A New Hampshire, but he's gotten progressively better after a disastrous April (.089 average over 15 games), turning in a .280/.391/.480 slash line with three home runs and 11 RBI in 23 June matchups and a 7-for-19 start to July. As Matheson notes, it'll be worth keeping an eye on Marinez's playing time at the hot corner down the stretch of the regular season with Matt Chapman due to become a free agent at the conclusion of the 2023 campaign.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Shielded from Rule 5 draft
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Martinez was added to the Blue Jays' 40-man roster Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Martinez is one of Toronto's top prospects, so it's not a surprise the organization opted to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. The young third baseman played in 118 games for Double-A New Hampshire last season and had a .203/.286/.446 slash line with 30 home runs, 76 RBI and six stolen bases.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Goes yard twice Sunday
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Martinez went 3-for-4 with two homers, four RBI and an additional run scored for Double-A New Hampshire on Sunday.
The 20-year-old has six hits in the last two days, including a double and three homers, to snap a 1-for-34 slump over his prior nine contests. Martinez has slugged 22 home runs in 78 games for the Fisher Cats this season, but that power comes with a .214 batting average, a 6.0 percent walk rate and a 29.9 percent strikeout rate. Until he learns to control the strike zone better, it's hard to project that Martinez will be a consistent offensive force in the majors. His age does offer some optimism that he can make the necessary adjustments and reach his impressive ceiling, however.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Bound for Double-A
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Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Sunday that Martinez will likely open the upcoming season at Double-A New Hampshire, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
Following his early-August call-up from Low-A Dunedin, Martinez produced at a roughly league-average level in his 27 games at High-A Vancouver last season with a .214/.282/.491 slash line (99 wRC+). A return to Vancouver to begin the 2022 campaign wouldn't have been unexpected for the 20-year-old, but the Blue Jays may have been encouraged enough with how he looked during his workouts at big-league camp earlier this spring to hand him the Double-A assignment. The Blue Jays haven't settled on a permanent defensive home for Martinez, but his prodigious power should play at nearly any spot.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Reassigned to minor camp
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Martinez was reassigned to minor-league camp Monday, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.
Martinez had a very productive spring with the Blue Jays, posting a .308/.400/.923 slash while hitting two homers and driving in four runs. Additionally, his 1.323 OPS ranked towards the top of his team. Jon Morosi of MLB Network notes that the club plans to use him at shortstop and third base while in the minors this season, but it's also a possibility that he could see time at second base due to there being a clearer path to the big leagues at the keystone.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Bumped up to High-A
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The Blue Jays promoted Martinez from Low-A Dunedin to High-A Vancouver on Tuesday, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.
The 19-year-old outfielder has enjoyed a breakout campaign at Dunedin, hitting .279 with 19 home runs over 325 plate appearances. Martinez's 26.2 percent strikeout rate is somewhat worrisome, and he may need to cut that down (or at least not increase it) in order to remain productive against the more advanced pitching at High-A.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Two more blasts for Dunedin
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Martinez went 3-for-4 with a walk, a double, two home runs, three runs scored, four RBI and a stolen base for Low-A Dunedin on Wednesday.
Toronto's No. 4 fantasy prospect is overmatching pitchers in his first taste of full-season ball, despite the fact that he doesn't turn 20 years old until November. Martinez has gone yard 11 times through 17 games in July, slashing a dizzying .400/.494/1.015 over that stretch, and while the Jays won't want to rush him up the ladder he seems more than ready for a new challenge.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Improving steadily at Low-A
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Martinez is hitting .263/.350/.474 with eight homers, two steals, 40 RBI and 30 runs across 52 games at Low-A Dunedin.
The 19-year-old hasn't done anything to assuage concerns about his hit tool, as he's striking out at a 27.3 percent clip. That said, he's performed better as the season's gone along. After posting a .772 OPS in May, he improved that figure to .802 in June, and it's 1.049 in July so far. Martinez has drawn enough walks to maintain a solid OBP, and there's no question that he has power. He should at least make it to High-A by season's end, but the ultimate test of his prospect status will be whether he can keep his strikeouts down once he reaches the two highest levels of the minors.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Added to player pool
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Martinez was added to the Blue Jays' 60-man-player pool Thursday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Now one of the Jays' top prospects, Martinez signed a $3.5 million deal with Toronto back in July of 2018. He will get the opportunity to further his development at the team's alternate training site.
