We already know Russell Martin will turn down the $15.3 million qualifying offer from the Pirates and previously reports have said the Cubs are the front-runners to sign him. And now Jeff Blair of Sportsnet Canada says the free agent catcher “wants a contract worth between $75-$80 million over five years.”
Brian McCann got a five-year, $85 million deal from the Yankees last offseason. Martin is a couple years older than McCann was then and failed to top a .750 OPS from 2009-2013, but he’s coming off a fantastic season in which he hit .290 with a .402 on-base percentage and .832 OPS in 111 games.
