View source for Pedro Martínez

{{Short description|Dominican-American baseball pitcher (born 1971)}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Pedro Martínez
|position = [[Pitcher]]
|image = Pedro's return.jpg
|caption = Martínez in 2010
|bats = Right
|throws = Right
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|10|25}}
|birth_place = [[Manoguayabo, Santo Domingo|Manoguayabo]], [[Dominican Republic]]
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = September 24
|debutyear = 1992
|debutteam = Los Angeles Dodgers
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate = September 30
|finalyear = 2009
|finalteam = Philadelphia Phillies
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label = [[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value = 219–100
|stat2label = [[Earned run average]]
|stat2value = 2.93
|stat3label = [[Strikeout]]s
|stat3value = 3,154
|teams = 
* [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] ({{mlby|1992}}–{{mlby|1993}})
* [[Montreal Expos]] ({{mlby|1994}}–{{mlby|1997}})
* [[Boston Red Sox]] ({{mlby|1998}}–{{mlby|2004}})
* [[New York Mets]] ({{mlby|2005}}–{{mlby|2008}})
* [[Philadelphia Phillies]] ({{mlby|2009}})
|highlights = 
* 8× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1996 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1996]]–[[2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2000]], [[2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2002]], [[2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2005]], [[2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2006]])
* [[World Series]] champion ({{wsy|2004}})
* 3× [[Cy Young Award]] (1997, 1999, 2000)
* [[Triple Crown (baseball)|Triple Crown]] (1999)
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders|MLB wins leader]] (1999)
* 5× [[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders|MLB ERA leader]] (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003)
* 3× [[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders|AL strikeout leader]] (1999, 2000, 2002)
* [[Boston Red Sox#Retired numbers|Boston Red Sox No. 45]] retired
* [[Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame]]
|hoflink = National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
|hoftype = National
|hofdate = [[2015 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|2015]]
|hofvote = 91.1% (first ballot)
}}

'''Pedro Jaime Martínez''' (born October 25, 1971) is a Dominican-American former [[professional baseball]] [[starting pitcher]], who played in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) from {{baseball year|1992}} to {{baseball year|2009}}, for five teams—most notably the [[Boston Red Sox]] from {{baseball year|1998}} to {{baseball year|2004}}.

As of 2023, Martínez's [[win–loss record (pitching)|record]] of 219 wins and 100 losses places him tenth-highest in winning percentage in major league history and fifth-highest among pitchers with more than 2,000 career [[innings pitched]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/win_loss_perc_career.shtml|title=Career Leaders & Records for Win–loss %|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=November 13, 2023}}</ref> Martínez ended his career with an [[earned run average]] (ERA) of 2.93, among the lowest ever by a pitcher with at least 2,500 innings pitched [[live-ball era|since 1920]]. He reached the [[3,000 strikeout club|3,000 strikeout]] mark in fewer innings than any pitcher except [[Randy Johnson]] and [[Max Scherzer]]; Martínez is the only pitcher other than Scherzer to compile over 3,000 career [[strikeouts]] with fewer than 3,000 innings pitched in his career. As of 2023, Martínez's career [[strikeouts per nine innings pitched|strikeout rate]] of 10.04 per nine innings ranks sixth all-time among pitchers with over 1,500 innings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/strikeouts_per_nine_career.shtml|title=Career Leaders & Records for Strikeouts per 9 IP|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=November 13, 2023}}</ref>

An eight-time [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]], Martínez was at his peak from {{baseball year|1997}} to {{baseball year|2003}}, establishing himself as one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/395166-pedro-martinez-the-most-dominant-pitcher-of-our-lifetime|title=Pedro Martinez: The Most Dominant Pitcher of Our Lifetime|author= Asher Chancey|date=May 21, 2010|work=Bleacher Report}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/strike-zone/2014/01/09/jaws-and-the-2014-hall-of-fame-ballot-an-early-look-at-the-new-names-for-2015|title=JAWS and the 2014 Hall of Fame ballot: An early look at the new names for 2015|author=JAY JAFFE|date=January 9, 2014|magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/11545189/mlb-top-20-pitcher-seasons-50-years|title=Top 20 pitcher seasons in 50 years|author=David Schoenfield|date=September 22, 2014|publisher=ESPN}}</ref><ref name="Joe Posnanski">{{cite web|url=http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/27/one-game-one-pitcher-who-do-you-choose/|title=One game, one pitcher ... who do you choose?|author=Joe Posnanski|date=Mar 27, 2014|work=NBC Sports}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://weei.radio.com/articles/column/supreme-ace-all-time-pedro-martinez-still-best-despite-clayton-kershaws-dominance|title= Supreme Ace of All-Time? Pedro Martinez Still Best Despite Clayton Kershaw's Dominance with Dodgers|author=KIRK MINIHANE |date=July 7, 2014|publisher= weei.com|access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> He won three [[Cy Young Awards]] (1997, 1999, 2000) and was runner-up twice (1998, 2002), posting a cumulative record of 118–36 (.766) with a 2.20 ERA, while leading his league in ERA five times and in winning percentage and strikeouts three times each. In {{baseball year|1999}}, Martínez was runner-up for the [[American League]] (AL) [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player Award]], after winning the pitching [[Major League Baseball Triple Crown|Triple Crown]] with a 23–4 record, 2.07 ERA, and 313 strikeouts, and—along with Johnson—joined [[Gaylord Perry]] in the rare feat of winning the Cy Young Award in both the [[American League|American]] and [[National League (baseball)|National]] Leagues (a feat since accomplished by [[Roger Clemens]], [[Roy Halladay]], [[Max Scherzer]], and [[Blake Snell]]). He recorded the second-lowest single-season [[Defense independent pitching statistics#FIP|Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP)]] in the live ball era (1.39 in [[1999 in baseball|1999]]), the second-lowest single-season [[Walks plus hits per inning pitched|WHIP]] total in major league history (0.737 in {{baseball year|2000}}), and the lowest single-season [[Adjusted ERA+]] in major league history (291, also in 2000). Although his performance suffered a steep decline in 2004, Martínez ended the season memorably by helping the Red Sox end a long drought in winning [[2004 World Series|their first World Series]] title in 86 years.

Officially listed at {{convert|5|ft|11|in|m|abbr=on}} and {{convert|170|lb|kg}}, Martínez was unusually small for a modern-day [[power pitcher]], and is believed to have been somewhat smaller than his officially listed height and weight.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_9_62/ai_106226464|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630120057/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_9_62/ai_106226464|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 30, 2012|title=Getting to the height of the matter: some executives believe the taller the pitcher, the better: often a player's size will dictate how teams make decisions regarding draft selections &#124; Baseball Digest &#124; Find Articles at BNET.com|via=Findarticles.com|access-date=July 22, 2010|first=David|last=Andriesen 
|year=2003}}</ref><ref>1992 Topps Baseball Card lists him at 145lbs</ref> In his early 30s, injuries began to keep him off the field to an increasing extent, with his appearances and success dropping off sharply in his final seasons. Modern [[sabermetrics|sabermetric]] analysis has strongly highlighted Martínez's achievements. As of 2023, his career [[strikeout-to-walk ratio]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/strikeouts_per_base_on_balls_career.shtml|title=Career Leaders & Records for Strikeouts / Base On Balls|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> [[Walks plus hits per inning pitched|WHIP]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/whip_career.shtml|title=Career Leaders & Records for Walks & Hits per IP|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> and adjusted ERA+ <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/earned_run_avg_plus_career.shtml|title=Career Leaders & Records for Adjusted ERA+|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> are among the highest in major league history. Martínez dominated while pitching most often in a hitter-friendly [[Fenway Park|ballpark]] and facing some of the toughest competition during the [[History of baseball in the United States#The steroid era|steroid era]], which is generally thought to have favored batters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://grantland.com/the-triangle/pedro-martinez-letter-to-clayton-kershaw/|title=Dear Clayton; Love, Pedro|author=BEN LINDBERGH|date=September 16, 2014|work=Grantland}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hardballtimes.com/moving-beyond-era/|title=Moving Beyond ERA+|author=SAL BAXAMUSA|date=March 19, 2007|work=The Hardball Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/05/12/if-the-devil-ever-gives-me-one-pitcher-to-play-for-my-soul/|title=If the Devil ever gives me one pitcher to play for my soul ...|author=Joe Posnanski|date=May 12, 2014 |work=NBC Sports}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/strike-zone/2014/04/28/all-time-dominican-republic-team-albert-pujols-robinson-cano|title=Albert Pujols, Pedro Martinez lead all-time Dominican Republic team|author=CLIFF CORCORAN|date=April 28, 2014|magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> Many consider Martínez to be one of the greatest pitchers in major league history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-best-pitchers-of-all-time/|title=The Best Pitchers Of All Time|author=Neil Paine and Jay Boice|date= May 12, 2016|work=FiveThirtyEight}}</ref> He was elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[2015 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|2015]] in his first year of eligibility, joining [[Juan Marichal]] as the second Dominican to be enshrined; his number (45) was retired by the Red Sox in a ceremony held two days after his Hall induction.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/07/28/427178317/remembering-the-flair-of-45-boston-red-sox-to-honor-pedro-martinez |title=Remembering The Flair Of #45: Boston Red Sox To Honor Pedro Martinez |newspaper=NPR.org |publisher=NPR}}</ref>

==Early life==
Martínez grew up in the Dominican Republic in the Santo Domingo suburb of [[Manoguayabo, Santo Domingo|Manoguayabo]]. He was the fifth of six siblings living in a palm wood house with a tin roof and dirt floors. His father, Pablo Jaime Abreu,{{refn|group=note|His father, Pablo Jaime Abreu, is first-cousin of folk merengue musician Cheché Abreu.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Díaz Jáquez|first1=Leonardo|last2=Jáquez Torres|first2=Mario Julio |title=Genealogía del inmortal Pedro Martínez |url=http://hoy.com.do/genealogia-del-inmortal-pedro-martinez/ |access-date=July 25, 2015|agency=Instituto Dominicano de Genealogía|publisher=Hoy|date=July 24, 2015|language=es}}</ref>}} worked odd jobs. His mother, Leopoldina Martínez, worked for traditionally wealthy families, washing their clothes. When Martínez was old enough to work, he held a job as a mechanic.<ref name=Fields>{{cite news|last1=Macur|first1=Juliet|title=The fields of Pedro's dreams|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/23/sports/baseball/23pedro.html|access-date=December 7, 2014|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 23, 2004}}</ref>

He did not have enough money to afford baseballs, so he improvised with oranges. His older brother, [[Ramón Martínez (pitcher)|Ramón Martínez]], was pitching at a [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] baseball camp in the Dominican Republic. As a young teenager, Martínez carried his brother's bags at the camp. One day at the camp, Ramón Martínez clocked his 14-year-old brother's pitches at between 78 and 80 miles per hour.<ref name=Globe>{{cite web|last1=Grossfeld|first1=Stan|title=Pedro Martinez building hope in the Dominican|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/08/08/pedro-martinez-building-hope-dominican/NojooveTxbSvkSPfuf7MYN/story.html|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|access-date=December 7, 2014|date=August 9, 2013}}</ref>

Martínez debuted professionally with the [[Tigres del Licey]] of the [[Dominican Winter League]] during the 1989–90 season. He then pitched briefly for the [[Azucareros del Este]], before rejoining Licey in 1991–92 in a nine-player transaction that included [[George Bell (outfielder)|George Bell]], [[José Offerman]] and [[Julio Solano]], among others.<ref>[http://www.listindiario.com/el-deporte/2015/09/25/389543/pedro-martinez-jugo-brevemente-con-los-tigres-del-licey-en-los-anos-del-1990-al-1996 Pedro Martínez Jugó brevemente con los Tigres del Licey en los años del 1990 al 1996] (Spanish). ''Listin Diario''. Retrieved on February 9, 2016.</ref>

==Career==

===Los Angeles Dodgers===
Martínez was originally signed by the Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1988. In his first season in the minors he was assigned to the [[Great Falls Dodgers]] where he worked with coach [[Guy Conti]] to develop a [[circle changeup]] which Conti had learned from [[Johnny Podres]]. Conti also worked with the young pitcher on his English and helped him assimilate to the United States; Martínez later described Conti as his "white daddy."<ref name="conti">{{cite news |last1=Vorkunov |first1=Mike |title=Meet Pedro Martinez's 'White Daddy' |url=https://www.nj.com/mets/2015/07/meet_pedro_martinezs_white_daddy_the_mets_coach_wh.html |access-date=20 December 2020 |work=[[NJ.com]] |date=24 July 2015 |language=en}}</ref> As a minor leaguer in the Dodgers farm system, he was a highly touted prospect although some talent evaluators took issue with his "poise" despite his having a "great fastball and circle-changeup."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Eddy |first1=Matt |title=MiLB Top 10 Prospects Flashback: 1992 Pacific Coast League |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/milb-top-10-prospects-flashback-1992-pacific-coast-league/ |access-date=20 December 2020 |work=[[Baseball America]] |date=September 22, 2020}}</ref> He made his MLB debut on September 24, 1992, for the Dodgers against the [[Cincinnati Reds]], working two scoreless innings of relief. He made his first start for the Dodgers on September 30, taking the loss while giving up two runs in a 3–1 loss to the Reds.

Although Martínez's brother Ramón, then a star [[pitcher]] for the Dodgers, declared that his brother was an even better pitcher than he, the younger Martínez was thought by manager [[Tommy Lasorda]] too small to be an effective [[starting pitcher]] at the MLB level; Lasorda used Pedro Martínez almost exclusively as a relief pitcher.<ref>[http://www.jockbio.com/Bios/Pedro/Pedro_bio.html Pedro Martinez Biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009231122/http://jockbio.com/Bios/Pedro/Pedro_bio.html |date=October 9, 2010 }}. JockBio. Retrieved on December 21, 2013.</ref> Lasorda was not the first to question Martínez's stature and durability; in the minor leagues, the then-135-pound pitcher was threatened with a $500 fine if he was caught running. Martínez turned in a strong [[1993 Los Angeles Dodgers season|1993 season]] as the Dodgers' setup man, going 10–5 with a 2.61 ERA and 119 strikeouts, in 65 games; his 107 innings led all NL relievers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/season_finder.cgi?type=p#gotresults&as=result_pitcher&offset=0&sum=0&min_year_season=1993&max_year_season=1993&min_season=1&max_season=-1&min_age=0&max_age=99&is_rookie=&lg_ID=lgNL&lgAL_team=tmAny&lgNL_team=tmAny&lgFL_team=tmAny&lgAA_team=tmAny&lgPL_team=tmAny&lgUA_team=tmAny&lgNA_team=tmAny&isActive=either&isHOF=either&isAllstar=either&throws=any&games_started=60&role=reliever&games_relieved=50&minIpValS=100&minDecValS=14&qualifiersSeason=mingames&mingamesValS=39&qualifiersCareer=nomin&minIpValC=1000&minDecValC=100&mingamesValC=200&number_matched=1&orderby=IPouts&layout=full&c1criteria=&c1gtlt=eq&c1val=0&c2criteria=&c2gtlt=eq&c2val=0&c3criteria=&c3gtlt=eq&c3val=0&c4criteria=&c4gtlt=eq&c4val=0&c5criteria=&c5gtlt=eq&c5val=1.0&c6criteria=&location=pob&locationMatch=is&pob=&pod=&pcanada=&pusa=&ajax=1&submitter=1 |title=baseball-reference.com |date=2014}}</ref> With the Dodgers in need of a [[second baseman]] after a contract dispute with [[Jody Reed]], Martínez was traded to the [[Montreal Expos]] for [[Delino DeShields]] before the 1994 season.

===Montreal Expos===
It was with the Expos that Martínez developed into one of the top pitchers in baseball. Despite possessing a live fastball, he had difficulty maintaining control. It was during a [[bullpen]] session that manager [[Felipe Alou]] encouraged him to modify his primary grip on the fastball from two-seam to four-seam. The transformation was dramatic: the fastball − already among the fastest in the game − now was thrown with near-impeccable control and break that routinely overwhelmed hitters. On April 13, 1994, Martínez took a perfect game through {{fraction|7|1|3}} innings until throwing a [[brushback pitch]] at [[Reggie Sanders]] that led Sanders to immediately charge the mound, starting a bench-clearing brawl. Martínez ended up with a no-decision in the game, which the Expos eventually won 3–2.

On June 3, 1995, Martínez pitched nine perfect innings in a game against the [[1995 San Diego Padres season|San Diego Padres]], before giving up a hit in the bottom of the 10th inning. He was immediately removed from the game, and was the winning pitcher in Montreal's 1–0 victory. [See ''[[#Memorable games|Memorable Games]]'']

In 1996, during a game against the [[Philadelphia Phillies]], [[Mike Williams (baseball)|Mike Williams]] attempted to hit Martínez with retaliatory pitches for an earlier hit batter but failed with two consecutive attempts. After the second attempt, Martínez charged the mound, and started a bench-clearing fight.

In 1997, Martínez posted a 17–8 record for the [[1997 Montreal Expos season|Expos]], and led the league in half a dozen pitching categories, including a 1.90 [[Earned run average|ERA]], 305 [[strikeout]]s and 13 [[complete game]]s pitched, while becoming the only Expo ever to win the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] [[Cy Young Award]]. The 13 complete games were tied for the second-highest single-season total in the modern era of baseball since Martínez's career began ([[Curt Schilling]] had 15 in 1998; [[Chuck Finley]] and [[Jack McDowell]] also reached 13 in a year). However, this 1997 total is by far the highest in Martínez's career, as he only completed more than five games in one other season (seven, in 2000). Martínez was the first right-handed pitcher to reach 300 [[strikeouts]] with an ERA under 2.00 since [[Walter Johnson]] in 1912.

===Boston Red Sox===
{{MLBBioRet
|Image  = Red_Sox_45.svg
|Name   = Pedro Martínez
|Number = 45
|Team   = Boston Red Sox
|Year   = 2015}}

Approaching [[Free agent|free agency]], Martínez was traded to the [[Boston Red Sox]] in November 1997 for [[Carl Pavano]] and [[Tony Armas Jr.]] Martínez was subsequently signed to a six-year, $75 million contract (with an option for a seventh year at $17 million) by Red Sox general manager [[Dan Duquette]], at the time the largest ever awarded to a pitcher. Martínez paid immediate dividends in 1998, compiling a 19–7 record and finishing second in the [[American League]] in [[Earned run average|ERA]], [[Walks plus hits per inning pitched|WHIP]], strikeouts, and [[Cy Young Award]] voting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1998.shtml|title=1998 Awards Voting|website=Baseball Reference|access-date=August 27, 2023}}</ref>

In 1999, Martínez finished 23–4 with a 2.07 ERA and 313 strikeouts (earning the [[Pitching Triple Crown]]) in {{frac|213|1|3}} [[innings pitched|innings]] across 31 games (29 starts). He led the entire major leagues with strikeouts per nine innings and [[strikeout-to-walk ratio|strikeout-to-walk]] ratios of 13.20 and 8.46, respectively. His [[Defense independent pitching statistics#FIP|Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP)]] (a defense independent pitching statistic measuring a pitcher's effectiveness at limiting walks, home runs, and hits while accumulating strikeouts) of 1.39 was the lowest single-season total in the major leagues since 1910 among pitchers who threw more than 35 innings. The second best FIP in baseball in 1999 was Randy Johnson's 2.76, and that year, no one else in the American League had a FIP below 3.25. Martínez also became just the ninth modern pitcher to record a second 300-strikeout season, along with [[Randy Johnson (pitcher)|Randy Johnson]] (6 times), [[Nolan Ryan]] (6 times), [[Sandy Koufax]] (3 times), [[Curt Schilling]] (3 times), [[Walter Johnson]], [[Sam McDowell]], [[J. R. Richard]], and [[Rube Waddell]]. An anomaly among power pitchers, Martínez is the only 20th-century pitcher to notch 300 strikeouts in a season without being at least six feet tall.

Martínez unanimously won his second Cy Young Award and finished second in the AL [[MLB Most Valuable Player award|Most Valuable Player]] (MVP) ballot.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1999.shtml|title=1999 Awards Voting|website=Baseball Reference|access-date=September 11, 2016}}</ref> The MVP result was controversial, as Martínez received the most first-place votes of any player (8 of 28), but was omitted from the ballots of two sportswriters, New York's George King and Minneapolis' LaVelle Neal.<ref name="Olney">{{cite news|first=Buster|last=Olney|title=Rodriguez Catches Support as Surprise M.V.P. Pick|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 19, 1999|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/19/sports/baseball-rodriguez-catches-support-as-surprise-mvp-pick.html|access-date=August 27, 2023}}</ref> [[Buster Olney]], writing for ''[[The New York Times]]'', mused that the sentiment that pitchers should not be considered MVP candidates due to the existence of the pitcher-specific Cy Young Award may have cost Martínez the victory.<ref name="Olney"/> King later wrote in The ''[[New York Post]]'' that he left Martínez off of his ballot because he believed that, since they only appear in a fraction of their team's games, starting pitchers should only be considered for the Cy Young Award.<ref>{{cite news|first=George A.|last=King|title=Why I Left Pedro Off My MVP Ballot; MVP Voting Isn't Life & Death Issue|date=November 24, 1999|newspaper=New York Post|url=https://nypost.com/1999/11/24/why-i-left-pedro-off-my-mvp-ballot-mvp-voting-isnt-life-death-issue/|access-date=August 27, 2023}}</ref> "It really made us all look very dumb", Olney later said. "People were operating under different rules. The question of eligibility is a very basic thing. People were determining eligibility for themselves."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_12_59/ai_67045342 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713202707/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_12_59/ai_67045342 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 13, 2012 |title=A MATTER OF OPINION: Voters Disagree on MVP Criteria |work=Baseball Digest |via=Findarticles.com |access-date=July 22, 2010 |first=Kevin |last=Acee |year=2000 }}</ref> [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] catcher [[Iván Rodríguez]] narrowly won the award over Martínez, by a margin of 252 points to 239. Rodríguez had been included on all 28 ballots. When asked about the result by [[WEEI-FM]] radio in January 2012, Martínez said, "I'm not afraid to say that the way that George King and Mr. LaVelle Neal III went about it was unprofessional."<ref>{{cite web|first=Alex|last=Speier|title=Pedro Martinez on The Big Show: Of MVP and Cy Young snubs, the Steroid Era, and Boston's everlasting place in his heart|website=WEEI|date=January 10, 2012|url=http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2012/01/10/pedro-martinez-on-the-big-show-of-mvp-and-cy-young-snubs-the-steroid-era-and-bostons-everlasting-place-in-his-heart/|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305032457/http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2012/01/10/pedro-martinez-on-the-big-show-of-mvp-and-cy-young-snubs-the-steroid-era-and-bostons-everlasting-place-in-his-heart/|access-date=August 27, 2023|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:PedroMartinezSmall.jpg|thumb|left|210px|Martínez in 2004]]
Between April and May 1999, Martínez struck out 10 or more batters in seven consecutive starts. Between August 1999 and April 2000, Martínez achieved the same feat in 10 consecutive starts, averaging more than 15 strikeouts per nine innings during the latter streak.<ref>Beamer, John (August 20, 2007)  [http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/who-is-better-pedro-martinez-or-johan-santana/ Who is/was better: Pedro Martínez or Johan Santana?] The Hardball Times</ref> In 1999, Martínez recorded a strikeout in 40 consecutive innings, which at the time was a major league record. For his career, Martínez compiled 15 or more strikeouts in a game 10 times, which is tied with [[Roger Clemens]] for the third-most such games in history behind Nolan Ryan's 27 and Randy Johnson's 29.

Martínez was named the AL Pitcher of the Month in April, May, June, and September 1999—four times in a single season. Martínez punctuated his dominance in the [[1999 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1999 All-Star Game]] at [[Fenway Park]]. He struck out [[National League (baseball)|National League]] players [[Barry Larkin]], [[Larry Walker]], [[Sammy Sosa]], [[Mark McGwire]], and [[Jeff Bagwell]] in two innings pitched, earning [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVP Award|All-Star Game MVP]] for his performance. It was the first time that a pitcher had struck out the first four batters to start an All-Star Game.<ref>{{cite web|first=Evan|last=Gerike|title=Martínez Fans Five to Win All-Star Game MVP|website=National Baseball Hall of Fame|url=https://baseballhall.org/discover/inside-pitch/martinez-fans-five-at-all-star-game|access-date=August 27, 2023}}</ref> Martínez later said that the 1999 All-Star break was especially memorable for him because he was able to meet the members of the [[MLB All-Century Team]] and get an autograph from [[Ted Williams]].<ref>{{Cite tweet |author=Pedro Martinez |user=45PedroMartinez |number=593622790969888768 |date=April 29, 2015 |title=99 All Star Break was memorable for me because I saw the all Century players. At the end Ted Williams autographed a program dedicated to me |access-date=April 30, 2015 }}</ref>

Martínez was a focal point of Boston's 1999 [[1999 American League Division Series|playoff series]] against the [[1999 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland Indians]]. Starting the series opener, he was forced out of the game after four shutout innings due to a strained back with the Red Sox up 2–0. The [[1999 Boston Red Sox season|Red Sox]], however, lost the game 3–2. With the series tied at two games apiece, Martínez was too injured to start the fifth and final game. However, neither team's starter was effective, and by the middle of the fourth inning, the game was tied 8–8. At this point, Martínez entered the game as an emergency relief option. He pitched six [[no-hit]] innings, striking out eight and walking three, as the Red Sox won the deciding game of the series 12–8.<ref>{{cite web|first=Craig|last=Muder|title=Pedro Martínez Blanks Indians in Game 5 of ALDS|website=National Baseball Hall of Fame|url=https://baseballhall.org/discover/inside-pitch/pedro-martinez-blanks-indians-in-alds|access-date=August 27, 2023}}</ref> In the [[1999 American League Championship Series|American League Championship Series]], Martínez pitched seven shutout innings to beat the [[1999 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] in Game 3, handing the soon-to-be [[1999 World Series|World Series]] champions their only loss of the 1999 postseason.

Martínez followed up 1999 with another excellent season in 2000 en route to his third Cy Young Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_2000.shtml|title=2000 Awards Voting|website=Baseball Reference|access-date=August 29, 2023}}</ref> His ERA of 1.74 was the lowest American League total since 1978. The total was about a third of that year's park-adjusted league ERA (4.97), resulting in an [[adjusted ERA+]] of 291, the second highest single-season total in major league history among pitchers who threw more than 200 innings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Single-Season Leaders & Records for Adjusted ERA+|website=Baseball Reference|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/earned_run_avg_plus_season.shtml|access-date=August 29, 2023}}</ref> [[Roger Clemens]]' 2000 ERA of 3.70 was the second lowest in the AL, but it was still more than double that of Martínez's.<ref name="Lupica">{{cite web|first=Mike|last=Lupica|title='Peak Pedro' most dominant in '99? Try history|date=April 30, 2020|website=MLB.com|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/pedro-martinez-most-dominant-pitcher-at-peak|access-date=September 5, 2023}}</ref>

Martínez's record was 18–6. In his six losses, he recorded 60 strikeouts, eight walks, and 30 [[hits allowed]] in 48 innings, with a 2.44 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP, while averaging eight innings per start. Martínez's ERA in his losing games was lower than the best ERA in the National League ([[Kevin Brown (right-handed pitcher)|Kevin Brown]]'s 2.58) across all games. Martínez's first loss of the year was a 1–0 complete game in which he had 17 strikeouts and one walk. All of Martínez's losses were [[quality start]]s, and he pitched eight or more innings in all but one of his losses. Martínez received two runs or fewer of [[run support]] in 10 of his starts (over one-third of his starts); in such games, his ERA was a minuscule 1.25 with 4 complete games and 2 shutouts, but his win–loss record was 4–5.

Martínez's WHIP in 2000 was 0.74, the second lowest total in major league history behind [[George Walker (1930s pitcher)|George Walker]] in 1940. However, Walker's record came in a season in which he only pitched 49 innings, whereas Martínez pitched 217 innings in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|title=Single-Season Leaders & Records for Walks & Hits per IP|website=Baseball Reference|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/whip_season.shtml|access-date=August 29, 2023}}</ref> Martínez struck out an American League-leading 284 batters while only walking 32, thereby breaking his own record for the highest single-season strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.88) in American League history.{{refn|group=note|Martínez had set the record the previous season with a total of 8.46 strikeouts per walk. The current record-holder in both the American League and the entirety of the major leagues is [[Phil Hughes (baseball)|Phil Hughes]] with a total of 11.63 in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Single-Season Leaders & Records for Strikeouts / Base On Balls|website=Baseball Reference|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/strikeouts_per_base_on_balls_season.shtml|access-date=August 29, 2023}}</ref>}} Martínez held opposing hitters to a [[wikt:slash line|slash line]] of .167/.213/.259 and recorded more than twice as many strikeouts (284) as hits allowed (128). When opposing teams had runners in scoring position, hitters' production against Martínez was reduced to a slash line of .133/.188/.219.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/shareit/TBVJX|title=Lowest BA against with RISP (Min 100 AB) 1950-2018}}</ref>

Across 1999 and 2000, Martínez allowed 288 hits and 69 walks in 430 innings, with 597 strikeouts, a 0.83 WHIP, and a 1.90 ERA. Some baseball pundits believe that given the era in which Martínez pitched—during the peak of the [[Doping in baseball|Steroid Era]], in a league with a [[designated hitter]], with hitter-friendly [[Fenway Park]] as his home field—his performance represents the peak for any pitcher in [[History of baseball|baseball history]].<ref name="Joe Posnanski"/><ref name="Lupica"/><ref>{{cite web|title=When Pedro Martinez was the best of all time|website=FOX Sports|date=March 4, 2020|url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/when-pedro-martinez-was-the-best-of-all-time|access-date=September 5, 2023}}</ref>

Though he continued his dominance when healthy, carrying a sub-2.00 ERA to the midpoint of the following season, Martínez spent much of 2001 on the [[disabled list]] with a [[rotator cuff]] injury as the Red Sox slumped to a poor finish. Martínez finished with a 7–3 record, a 2.39 ERA, and 163 strikeouts in 116 innings. Healthy in 2002, he rebounded to lead the league with a 2.26 ERA, 0.923 WHIP and 239 strikeouts, while going 20–4. However, that season's American League Cy Young Award narrowly went to 23-game winner [[Barry Zito]] of the [[Oakland Athletics]], despite Zito's higher ERA, higher WHIP, fewer strikeouts, and lower winning percentage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_2002.shtml|title=2002 Awards Voting|website=Baseball Reference|access-date=September 6, 2023}}</ref> Martínez became the first pitcher since the introduction of the Cy Young Award to lead his league in each of those four statistics without winning the award.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}} Martínez's record was 14–4 in 2003. He led the league in ERA (2.22), ERA+ (211), and WHIP (1.04) for the fifth time each and finished second to league leader [[Esteban Loaiza]] by a single strikeout. Martínez came in third for the 2003 Cy Young Award, which went to Toronto's [[Roy Halladay]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_2003.shtml|title=2003 Awards Voting|website=Baseball Reference|access-date=September 6, 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Derek Lowe and Pedro Martinez WS Victory Parade.jpg|thumb|[[Derek Lowe]] (left) and Pedro Martínez at the Red Sox World Series Victory Parade in 2004.]]
Despite an uncharacteristically high 3.90 ERA in 2004, Martínez went 16–9, ranked second in the AL in strikeouts and finished fourth in Cy Young voting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_2004.shtml|title=2004 Awards Voting|website=Baseball Reference|access-date=September 6, 2023}}</ref> The Red Sox won the American League's wild-card berth, and Martínez pitched effectively in the playoffs. He earned the win in Game 2 of the [[2004 American League Division Series|ALDS]], and in the [[2004 American League Championship Series|ALCS]], he recorded his only loss of the postseason as well as a no-decision. In Game 3 of the [[2004 World Series|World Series]], he pitched seven shutout innings and retired the last 14 batters he faced.<ref>{{cite news|first=Buster|last=Olney|title=Pedro leaves Cardinals running on empty|date=October 27, 2004|website=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/241026124|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230420062219/https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/241026124|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 20, 2023|access-date=September 6, 2023}}</ref> The Red Sox won the World Series in four games, securing their [[Curse of the Bambino|first championship in 86 years]].

Martínez finished his Red Sox career with a 117–37 record (a .760 winning percentage), a 2.52 ERA, a 190 ERA+, and 1683 strikeouts in {{frac|1383|2|3}} innings. He finished in the top four in Cy Young Award balloting in six of his seven years in Boston, winning twice.

===New York Mets===
[[File:Pedro Martínez 2008.jpg|thumb|left|Martínez pitching with the Mets]]
After Boston's [[2004 World Series|World Series triumph in 2004]], Martínez became a [[free agent]] and signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the [[New York Mets]]. In 2005, his first season as a Met, Martínez posted a 15–8 record with a 2.82 ERA, 208 strikeouts, and a league-leading 0.95 WHIP. It was his sixth league WHIP title, and the fifth time that he led the Major Leagues in the category. Opponents batted .204 against him.

Martínez started the 2006 season at the top of his game. At the end of May, he was 5–1 with a 2.50 ERA, with 88 strikeouts and 17 walks and 44 hits allowed in 76 innings; Martínez's record was worse than it could have been, with the Mets bullpen costing him two victories. However, during his May 26 start against the [[2005 Florida Marlins season|Florida Marlins]], Martínez was instructed by the umpires to change his undershirt. He slipped in the corridor, injuring his hip, and his promising season curdled. The effect was not immediately apparent; although Martínez lost the Marlins game, his following start was a scintillating 0–0 duel with Arizona's [[Brandon Webb]]. But after that, beginning on June 6, Martínez went 4–7 with a 7.10 ERA in a series of spotty starts interrupted twice by stays on the disabled list. A right calf injury plagued him for the last two months of the season. After Martínez was removed from an ineffective September 15 outing, television cameras found him in the Mets dugout, apparently crying.<ref>Curry, Jack (September 16, 2006) [https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/16/sports/baseball/16mets.html Tears Shed by Martínez Are Not of Joy]. New York Times</ref> Subsequent [[MRI]] exams revealed a torn muscle in Martínez's left calf and a torn [[rotator cuff]]. Martínez underwent surgery which sidelined him for most of the [[2007 in baseball|2007 season]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060930&content_id=1691510&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|title=Martínez shelved until next summer|author=Marty Noble|date=September 30, 2006|publisher=MLB}}</ref>

[[File:Pedro Martínez Peace.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Martínez with the Mets]]
On November 3, 2006, Martínez stated that if he could not return to full strength, he might end up retiring after the 2007 season. "It's getting better, and progress is above all what is hoped for", Martínez told the [[Associated Press]]. "To go back, I have to recover, I have to be healthy. But if God doesn't want that, then I would have to think about giving it all up." Martínez added, "It's going to be a bitter winter because I am going to have to do a lot of work. The pain I feel was one of the worst I have felt with any injury in my career." But by December 30, 2006, Martínez was more optimistic: "The progress has been excellent. I don't have problems anymore with my reach or flexibility, and so far everything is going very well. The problem has to do with the calcification of the bone that was broken with the tear, and that had to be operated on. You have to let it run its course." Martínez also reported bulking up as part of his recuperative regimen: "I've put on about 10 pounds of muscle, because that's one of our strategies."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061230&content_id=1768499&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|title=Bulked up Pedro aiming for midseason|author=Marty Noble|date=December 31, 2006|publisher=MLB}}</ref>

On September 3, 2007, Martínez returned from the disabled list with his 207th career win, allowing two earned runs in five efficient innings and collecting his 3,000th career strikeout, becoming the 15th pitcher to do so. "I thought I was going to have butterflies and like that", said Martínez, "but I guess I'm too old." Martínez's comeback was considered a great success, as the right-hander went 3–1 in five starts with a 2.57 ERA. But his last start was a crucial 3–0 loss to St. Louis in the final week of the 2007 Mets' historic collapse; Martínez provided a good pitching performance (7 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 8 K) but his teammates failed to score.

Martínez became just the fourth pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts with fewer than 1,000 walks (in Martínez's case, 701). [[Ferguson Jenkins]], [[Greg Maddux]] and [[Curt Schilling]] had previously done likewise. Martínez also joined [[Nolan Ryan]] and [[Randy Johnson]] to become the third 3,000-strikeout pitcher to have more strikeouts than innings pitched, and is also the first Latin American pitcher to have 3,000 strikeouts.

His unexpectedly strong finish in 2007 raised hopes, but 2008 was a lost season for Martínez. He was injured just four innings into his first game of the season, an April 1 no-decision against the [[2008 Florida Marlins season|Florida Marlins]]. He later told reporters he'd felt a "pop" in his left leg. Martínez was diagnosed with a strained [[hamstring]]<ref>[http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080402&content_id=2484082&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym "Hamstring strain sends Pedro to DL."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404115936/http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080402&content_id=2484082&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym |date=April 4, 2008 }}. Newyork.mets.mlb.com (May 24, 2013). Retrieved on December 21, 2013.</ref> and did not return to action for more than two months. Following his return, his fastball typically topped out in the 90–91&nbsp;mph range,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://fantasybaseball.usatoday.com/content/player.asp?sport=mlb&id=1741|title=Pedro Martinez Biography |work=USA Today|access-date=May 22, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521015433/http://fantasybaseball.usatoday.com/content/player.asp?sport=MLB&id=1741 |archive-date=May 21, 2010 }}</ref> a lower velocity than he'd had during his prime but slightly higher than in recent seasons. Martínez finished the season on a low note, losing all three of his decisions in September en route to a 5–6 record, the first losing record of his career. (Martínez was 0–1 in two appearances in 1992.) His 5.61 ERA and 1.57 WHIP were also Martínez's worst ever, and for the first time in his career, he failed to strike out at least twice as many batters as he walked (87–44).

During his four-year Met contract, Martínez was 32–23 in 79 starts, with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.

===Philadelphia Phillies===
[[File:Pedro Martínez Clearwater Threshers.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Martínez with [[Clearwater Threshers]] on July 26, 2009]]
A free agent, Martínez did not sign with a major league team during the winter. In March, he joined the Dominican Republic's squad for the [[2009 World Baseball Classic]], in an attempt to showcase his arm. Martínez pitched six scoreless innings with 6 strikeouts and no walks, but the team was quickly eliminated from the tournament and no MLB contract was forthcoming. In July 2009, Phillies scouts evaluated Martínez in two simulated games against the [[Dominican Summer Phillies|Phillies DSL team]], leading to a one-year, $1-million contract.<ref>[http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090714&content_id=5875102&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi Pedro signs one-year deal with Phillies]. Mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved on December 21, 2013.</ref> Martínez told reporters, "I would just like to be the backup. If I could be the backup, that would be a great thing to have—a healthy Pedro behind everybody else, in case something happens. That would be a great feeling to have on a team, eh?"<ref>[https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4338734 Pedro Martinez throws first bullpen session since joining Philadelphia Phillies – ESPN]. Sports.espn.go.com (July 18, 2009). Retrieved on December 21, 2013.</ref>

[[File:Pedro Martínez on September 8, 2009.jpg|thumb|Martínez pitching during his brief stint with the Phillies in 2009]]
Replacing [[Jamie Moyer]] as a starter in the Phillies rotation on August 12, Martínez won his 2009 debut. In his return to New York on August 23, Martínez's win against the Mets was preserved by a rare [[unassisted triple play]] by second baseman [[Eric Bruntlett]] in the bottom of the ninth inning. With his win on September 3—his third as a Philadelphia Phillie and his 100th as a National Leaguer—Martínez became the 10th pitcher in history to win at least 100 games in each league.<ref>[http://www.sabr.org/cmsFiles/Files/SABR-BRC-2005-06.pdf Society For American Baseball Research Baseball Records Committee] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712084243/http://www.sabr.org/cmsFiles/Files/SABR-BRC-2005-06.pdf |date=July 12, 2010 }}. (PDF) . Retrieved on December 21, 2013.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martipe02.shtml|title=Pedro Martinez Statistics and History|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> On September 13, Martínez pitched eight innings to beat the Mets again, by a final score of 1–0. His 130 pitches were the most he had thrown in a game since the ALDS in October 2003. Philadelphia won each of Martínez's first seven starts, the first time in franchise history that this had occurred with any debuting Phillies pitcher.<ref>{{cite web|author=ESPN.com |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/notebook?page=bbtn/090913|title=Baseball Tonight Clubhouse: Rockies search for wins, not respect|publisher=ESPN|date=September 13, 2009|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> In the [[2009 NLCS|NLCS]] against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he pitched seven shutout innings while allowing just two hits, but the Philadelphia bullpen faltered in the following inning, costing Martínez the win.

Intense media interest preceded Martínez's "return to Yankee Stadium" in Game 2 of the World Series. At the pre-game press conference, he seemed to relish the attention, telling reporters, "When you have 60,000 people chanting your name, waiting for you to throw the ball, you have to consider yourself someone special, someone that really has a purpose out there."<ref>{{cite web|last=Silverman|first=Mike |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2009/10/29/influential-pedro-martinez-holds-court/|title='Influential' Pedro Martinez holds court|work=Boston Herald|date=October 29, 2009|access-date=June 19, 2023}}</ref> Martínez pitched effectively in his second-ever World Series start, but left the game in the 7th inning trailing, 2–1, and wound up taking the loss. Before his second start of the Series, Martínez called himself and opposing pitcher [[Andy Pettitte]] "old goats", and acknowledged that Red Sox fans were rooting for him: "I know that they don't like the Yankees to win, not even in Nintendo games."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2009/11/03/pedro-i-consider-myself-a-bostonian/|title=Pedro: 'I consider myself a Bostonian'|publisher=WEEI.com|date=November 3, 2009|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> However, Martínez allowed four runs in four innings, falling to 0–2 as the Phillies lost the sixth game and the 2009 World Series to the New York Yankees.

Following the Series, Martínez announced that he had no intention of retiring,<ref>Morosi, Jon Paul. [http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10381194/Pedro-'absolutely'-intends-to-pitch-entire-'10-season Pedro 'absolutely' intends to pitch entire '10 season] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091119074430/http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10381194/Pedro-'absolutely'-intends-to-pitch-entire-'10-season |date=November 19, 2009 }}, [[FOX Sports]]. Published November 16, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2009.</ref> but the 2010 season came and went without his signing with a team. Media reports surfaced that the Phillies had been discussing a deal to bring Martínez back for another half-season,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=5292668|title=Philadelphia Phillies speak to Pedro Martinez about possible comeback|publisher=ESPN|date=June 16, 2010|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> but Martínez's agent announced in July that he would not be pitching at all in 2010, while remaining interested in a 2011 return.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=5399191&campaign=rss&source=MLBHeadlines|title=Agent: Pedro Martinez will not pitch in 2010, not retiring|publisher=ESPN|date=January 1, 2008|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> In December 2010, Martínez told a reporter for ''[[El Día (Dominican Republic)|El Día]]'' "I'm realizing what it is to be a normal person. ... It's most likely that I don't return to active baseball ... but honestly I don't know if I'll definitively announce my retirement."<ref>Nicholson, Ben. (December 15, 2010) [http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/phillies-asked-about-pedro-martinez.html Pedro Martinez Is "Most Likely" Finished: MLB Rumors]. MLBTradeRumors.com. Retrieved on December 21, 2013.</ref> The pitcher received some initial inquiries during the winter, but did not sign with any team for 2011. On December 4, 2011, he officially announced his retirement.

In December 2009, ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' named Martínez as one of the five pitchers in the starting rotation of its [[List of 2009 all-decade Sports Illustrated awards and honors#MLB All-Decade Team|MLB All-Decade Team]]. In February 2011, the [[Smithsonian]]'s [[National Portrait Gallery (United States)|National Portrait Gallery]] announced that it had acquired an oil painting of Martínez for its collection.<ref>[http://newsdesk.si.edu/releases/national-portrait-gallery-presents-portrait-pedro-martinez National Portrait Gallery Presents Portrait of Pedro Martinez]. Newsdesk.si.edu (March 29, 2011). Retrieved on December 21, 2013.</ref>

===After retirement===
[[File:Pedro Martinez HOF.jpg|thumb|Martínez speaking at the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame]] in 2015]]
On January 24, 2013, Martínez joined the Boston Red Sox as a special assistant to general manager [[Ben Cherington]].<ref>{{cite press release|title=Pedro Martinez re-joins Red Sox as Special Assistant to the General Manager|url=http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130124&content_id=41137574&vkey=pr_bos&c_id=bos|publisher=Red Sox|access-date=January 24, 2013|archive-date=January 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131040849/http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130124&content_id=41137574&vkey=pr_bos&c_id=bos|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Martínez was elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame]] in January 2015 with 91.1% of the vote. His Hall of Fame plaque has him wearing a Boston Red Sox cap. "I cannot be any prouder to take Red Sox Nation to the Hall of Fame with the logo on my plaque", Martínez said in a statement. "I am extremely proud to represent Boston and all of New England with my Hall of Fame career. I'm grateful to all of the teams for which I played, and especially fans, for making this amazing honor come true."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/12211099/pedro-martinez-rep-boston-red-sox-hall-fame-plaque | title= Pedro Martinez opts for Red Sox logo | author=ESPN.com news services | work=ESPN.com | date=January 22, 2015}}</ref>

Martínez has worked on [[MLB on TBS]] since 2013 as a studio analyst for postseason coverage.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nypost.com/2013/09/26/pedro-martinez-gets-tv-gig-with-tbs/ |title= Pedro Martinez gets TV gig with TBS |website=New York Post |date=September 23, 2013}}</ref> He has also worked on the [[MLB Network]] since 2015 as a studio analyst. Also in 2015, he released an autobiography, ''Pedro'', which he co-authored with Michael Silverman of the ''[[Boston Herald]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Finn|first1=Chad|title=Pedro Martinez hired by MLB Network as analyst|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/03/25/pedro-martinez-hired-mlb-network-analyst/0MocEZwlfebIDe8L4N5CMN/story.html|access-date=7 May 2015|work=[[Boston Globe]]|date=March 25, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Nowlin|first1=Bill|title='Pedro' by Pedro Martinez and Michael Silverman|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/books/2015/05/04/book-review-pedro-pedro-martinez-and-michael-silverman/8CS0P5aE0KgDv95Rzk8cFJ/story.html#|access-date=7 May 2015|work=[[Boston Globe]]|date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> Reflecting on his career, he named [[Barry Bonds]], [[Edgar Martínez]], [[Derek Jeter]], [[Kenny Lofton]] and [[Ichiro Suzuki]] as the most difficult hitters he had to face.<ref>{{cite web|last1=DeMartino|first1=Joe|date=May 7, 2015|title=Here are the five toughest hitters Pedro Martinez ever had to face|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/page/instantawesome-martinezpitch-150507/here-five-toughest-hitters-pedro-martinez-ever-had-face|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=7 May 2015}}</ref> All-Stars [[Sandy Alomar Jr.]], [[Moisés Alou]], [[Carlos Beltrán]], [[Carlos Delgado]], [[David Ortiz]], [[Dean Palmer]], [[Alex Rodriguez]] and [[Alfonso Soriano]] have named Martínez as the toughest pitcher they ever had to face.<ref>{{Cite tweet | last=Alomar | first=Sandy Jr. |author-link= |user=Indians |number=198155147975725056 |date=May 3, 2012 |title=Thx @D_Drumm56, Pedro Martinez was the toughest pitcher I had to face as a batter from here to Spain! |access-date=October 12, 2021 |link=https://twitter.com/Indians/status/198155147975725056 |ref=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Brownstein |first1=Mathew |title=MMO Exclusive: Six-Time All-Star, Moises Alou |url=https://metsmerizedonline.com/2020/05/mmo-exclusive-six-time-all-star-moises-alou.html/ |access-date=12 October 2021 |publisher=Metsmerized Online |date=22 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Barylski |first1=Nicole |title=INTERVIEW: Former MLB All-Star Carlos Beltran Reflects Back On His Foundation, The Pitcher He Dreaded Facing Most, The Tense Trade Deadline, And More |url=https://hamptons.com/community-community-news-25837-interview-former-mlb-all-star-carlos-beltran-html/ |access-date=12 October 2021 |work=Hamptons.com |date=31 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rosa Rosa |first1=Carlos |last2=Rodríguez |first2=Rubén A. |title=Bateadores boricuas revelan quiénes fueron sus "pesadillas" desde el montículo |url=https://www.elnuevodia.com/deportes/beisbol/notas/bateadores-boricuas-revelan-quienes-fueron-sus-pesadillas-desde-el-monticulo/ |access-date=9 November 2023 |work=[[El Nuevo Día]] |date=21 April 2020 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ortiz |first1=David |title=The Five Toughest Pitchers I've Ever Faced {{!}} By David Ortiz |url=https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/david-ortiz-red-sox-five-toughest-pitchers-ive-ever-faced |access-date=12 October 2021 |work=[[The Players' Tribune]] |date=September 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Brownstein |first1=Mathew |title=MMO Exclusive Interview: Slugging 3B, Dean Palmer |url=https://metsmerizedonline.com/2018/01/mmo-exclusive-former-mlb-slugger-dean-palmer.html/ |access-date=12 October 2021 |publisher=Metsmerized Online |date=6 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |last=Rodriguez |first=Alex |user=AROD |number=843565503763247105 |date=March 19, 2017 |title=Pedro Martinez. In the late '90s, he was almost unhittable. Great competitor. |access-date=October 12, 2021 |link=https://twitter.com/AROD/status/843565503763247105 |ref=}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |last=Nadel |first=Matt |date=August 27, 2015 |type= |title=Matt Nadel Interviews Alfonso Soriano |language= |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GC0Y6gdjV8  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/2GC0Y6gdjV8| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|access-date= October 12, 2021 |format= |time= |location= |publisher= |id= |isbn= |oclc= |quote= }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

On June 22, 2015, it was announced that Martínez's number 45 would be retired by the Red Sox on July 28, two days after his Hall of Fame induction. Red Sox principal owner John Henry stated, "to be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame upon his first year of eligibility speaks volumes regarding Pedro's outstanding career, and is a testament to the respect and admiration so many in baseball have for him."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox_mlb/clubhouse_insider/2015/06/red_sox_to_retire_pedro_martinezs_no_45_at_fenway_park|title=Red Sox to retire Pedro Martinez's No. 45 at Fenway Park on July 28|date=June 22, 2015|first=Jason|last=Mastrodonato|work=Boston Herald}}</ref>

On February 1, 2018, Martínez was announced as part of the 2018 induction class for the [[Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame]].

==Memorable games==

===Imperfect hit-by-pitch===
On April 13, 1994, in his second start as a Montreal Expo, Martínez lost a [[Perfect game (baseball)|perfect game]] with one out in the eighth inning when he hit Cincinnati's [[Reggie Sanders]] with a pitch. An angered Sanders charged the mound, and threw Martínez to the ground, before both teams cleared the benches and broke up any potential fight. Sanders was later ridiculed in the press for assuming that a pitcher would abandon a perfect game in order to hit a batter intentionally. Martínez allowed a leadoff single in the ninth inning, breaking up his no-hitter, and was removed for reliever [[John Wetteland]] (who loaded the bases, then allowed two [[Sacrifice fly|sacrifice flies]], thus saddling Martínez with a no-decision).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MON/MON199404130.shtml|title=April 13, 1994 Cincinnati Reds at Montreal Expos Play by Play and Box Score|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=April 13, 1994|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> Three years later, in 1997, Martínez had a [[one-hitter (baseball)|one-hitter]] against the [[1997 Cincinnati Reds season|Reds]]; the one hit came in the 5th inning.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN199707130.shtml|title=July 13, 1997 Montreal Expos at Cincinnati Reds Box Score and Play by Play|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=July 13, 1997|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref>

===Nine perfect innings===
On June 3, 1995, while pitching for Montreal, he retired the first 27 [[1995 San Diego Padres season|Padres]] hitters he faced. However, the score was still tied 0–0 at that point and the game went into [[extra innings]]. The [[1995 Montreal Expos season|Expos]] scored a run in the top of the 10th, but Martínez surrendered a [[Double (baseball)|double]] to the 28th batter he faced, [[Bip Roberts]]. Expos manager [[Felipe Alou]] then removed Martínez from the game, bringing in reliever [[Mel Rojas]], who retired the next three batters.<ref>{{cite web|title=Box Score|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN199506030.shtml|work=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> Martínez officially recorded neither a perfect game nor a [[no-hitter]]. Until 1991, the rules would have judged it differently; however, a rule clarification specified that perfect games, even beyond nine innings, must remain perfect until the game is completed for them to be considered perfect. This retroactively decertified many no-hit games, including [[Ernie Shore]]'s perfect relief stint in 1917 and [[Harvey Haddix]]'s legendary [[Harvey Haddix's near-perfect game|12 perfect innings]] in 1959 (lost in the 13th).

===All-Star strikeout streak===
Martínez was selected as the starting pitcher for the [[American League]] [[1999 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] team in 1999. The game, on July 13, 1999, was at [[Fenway Park]], Martínez's home field. Martínez struck out [[Barry Larkin]], [[Larry Walker]], and [[Sammy Sosa]] consecutively in the first inning. He then struck out [[Mark McGwire]] leading off the 2nd, becoming the first pitcher to begin an All-Star game by striking out the first four batters. (The National League's [[Brad Penny]] matched the feat in 2006.) The next batter, [[Matt Williams (third baseman)|Matt Williams]], managed to reach first base from an error by [[Roberto Alomar]]. Martínez then proceeded to strike out [[Jeff Bagwell]] while Williams was caught stealing.

===Yankee Stadium one-hitter===
Martínez again came close to a perfect game on September 10, 1999, when he beat the [[1999 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]], 3–1. He faced just 28 batters while striking out 17 and walking none (Martínez hit the Yankees' first batter, [[Chuck Knoblauch]], but he was then [[caught stealing]]). Only a solo [[home run]] by [[Chili Davis]] separated Martínez from a [[no-hitter]]. The Davis home run came in the second inning, eliminating any suspense, but sportswriter [[Thomas Boswell]] called it the best game ever pitched at [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/baseball/longterm/1999/playoffs/lcs/articles/boz17.htm|title=In Boston, Martínez Exhibits a Mound of Courage|author=Boswell, Thomas |date=October 17, 1999|newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref> Martínez retired the last 22 batters he faced in a row during this game. Over the last {{frac|3|2|3}} innings, (11 batters), Martínez threw 53 consecutive pitches without allowing a base runner, and without a single ball being put in play. (Nine strikeouts, two foul-ball fly outs.) The Yankees managed only one fair ball out of his last 70 pitches after the fourth inning.

===Hitless clincher===
On October 11, 1999, in Game 5 of the ALDS, [[Charles Nagy]] started for Cleveland and [[Bret Saberhagen]] started for Boston, both on only three days rest. Boston jumped out to a quick two-run lead in the top of the first inning, but Cleveland responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. The hitting continued, knocking Saberhagen out of the game in the second inning having allowed five runs, and then Nagy out of the game after only finishing only three innings and allowing eight runs. Going into the fourth inning, manager [[Jimy Williams]] opted to replace [[Derek Lowe]] with the ailing Martínez, who had left Game 1 with a back injury. This decision would prove to be wise, as Martínez threw six hitless innings in relief to win and clinch the ALDS.<ref>{{cite web|title=Box Score|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B10110CLE1999.htm|work=Retrosheet.org}}</ref>

===1999 ALCS===
Game 3 of the [[1999 American League Championship Series|American League Championship Series]] was the long-anticipated matchup between Martínez and Roger Clemens. The Red Sox scored first. After a leadoff triple by Offerman, Valentin homered to put the Red Sox ahead 2–0. The onslaught continued as the Red Sox scored in all but two innings. Clemens was done in the third inning and the Red Sox would go on to win 13–1 and make the series two games to one. When Clemens was knocked out, Red Sox fans chanted "Where is Roger?" and then a response chant of "In the Shower". Martínez struck out 12 Yankees in seven scoreless innings and allowing just two hits, to beat Red Sox nemesis [[Roger Clemens]] and the [[1999 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] in Game 3, handing the World Champions their only loss of the 1999 postseason. Martínez finished 1999 with a streak of 17 scoreless innings in the playoffs.

===Faceoff vs. Roger Clemens on ESPN===
On May 28, 2000, Martínez and [[Roger Clemens]] had a dramatic duel on [[ESPN]]'s "[[Sunday Night Baseball]]" telecast. Both pitchers excelled, combining to allow only nine hits and one walk while striking out 22. A scoreless game was finally broken up in the 9th inning by [[Trot Nixon]]'s home run off Clemens. In the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees loaded the bases against a tiring Martínez, but New York could not score, as Martínez completed the shutout.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA200005280.shtml|title=May 28, 2000 Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees Play by Play and Box Score|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=May 28, 2000|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref>

===Another close call===
On August 29, 2000, Martínez took a no-hitter into the 9th against the [[2000 Tampa Bay Devil Rays season|Tampa Bay Devil Rays]], losing it on a leadoff single by [[John Flaherty]]. Martínez had begun the night by hitting the leadoff batter, [[Gerald Williams (baseball)|Gerald Williams]], in the hand. Williams started towards first base before charging the mound and knocking down Martínez; in the scrum, Williams was tackled by Boston catcher [[Jason Varitek]]. Martínez then retired the next 24 hitters in a row until allowing Flaherty's single, and finished with a one-hitter. He had 13 strikeouts and no walks in the game; the Flaherty single would have broken up a perfect game, if not for the leadoff hit batsman.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TBA/TBA200008290.shtml|title=August 29, 2000 Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Devil Rays Play by Play and Box Score|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=August 29, 2000|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> Martínez never threw an official no-hitter. However, he has professed a lack of interest in the matter: "I think my career is more interesting than one game."

===Martínez vs. Zimmer===
In the testy Game 3 of the 2003 [[2003 American League Championship Series|ALCS]], after allowing single runs in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings, Martínez hit Yankees [[right fielder]] [[Karim García]] near the shoulders with a pitch, sparking a shouting match between Martínez and the New York bench. Directing his attention at Yankees catcher [[Jorge Posada]], Martínez jabbed a finger into the side of his own head, which some, including an enraged Yankee [[coach (baseball)|bench coach]] [[Don Zimmer]], interpreted as a threatened [[beanball]]. Emotions remained high in the bottom of the inning, which was led off by Boston slugger [[Manny Ramírez]]. Ramírez became irate over a high pitch from [[Roger Clemens]], and both benches cleared. During the ensuing commotion, the 72-year-old Zimmer ran onto the field and started straight for Martínez; as he charged, Martínez grabbed Zimmer by the head and threw him to the ground.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsuYIN7y8Ew  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/AsuYIN7y8Ew| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live| title=ALCS Gm3: Tempers flare, benches clear in Fenway after this dirty attack on an old man. (Martinze/Zimmer incident at 1:10 into video) | publisher=YouTube/MLB | date=April 13, 2013 | access-date=October 21, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Later, Martínez claimed that he was not indicating that he would hit Posada in the head, but that he would remember what Posada was saying to him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B10110BOS2003.htm|title=Retrosheet Boxscore: New York Yankees 4, Boston Red Sox 3|work=Retrosheet|date=October 11, 2003|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> In 2009, Martínez stated that he regretted the incident but denied being at fault. Zimmer did not give much credence to Martínez's statements.<ref>{{cite web|date=October 29, 2009|title=Zimmer combative, apologetic|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4603619|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=29 April 2015}}</ref> Martínez wrote in 2015 that the altercation with Zimmer was his only regret in his entire career.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=April 29, 2015|title=Pedro Martinez: Pushing Don Zimmer 'my only regret' in entire career|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2015/04/29/pedro-martinez-don-zimmer-yankees-red-sox-brawl|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|access-date=29 April 2015}}</ref>

===Grady Little's visit===
Martínez was also on the mound for Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS versus the [[2003 New York Yankees season|Yankees]]. With the Red Sox ahead 5–2 at the start of the 8th inning, a tiring Martínez pitched his way into trouble. He was visited on the mound by manager [[Grady Little]], but was left in to pitch, in a controversial non-move. The Yankees tied the score against Martínez in that inning on four successive hits, leading to a dramatic extra-inning, series-ending victory for New York, costing Grady Little his job with the Red Sox as his contract was not renewed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B10160NYA2003.htm|title=Retrosheet Boxscore: New York Yankees 6, Boston Red Sox 5|publisher=Retrosheet|date=October 16, 2003|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref>

===World Series debut===
After a comparatively lackluster season in 2004 (though still a solid season by general standards), Martínez got the win in Game 3 of the [[2004 World Series|World Series]]. He shut out the [[2004 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]] through seven innings, recording his final 14 outs consecutively in what would turn out to be his last game for Boston.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B10260SLN2004.htm|title=Retrosheet Boxscore: Boston Red Sox 4, St. Louis Cardinals 1|publisher=Retrosheet|date=October 26, 2004|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref>

===Mets===
With the Mets, on April 10, 2005, at [[Turner Field]], Martínez outdueled [[John Smoltz]], pitching a two-hit, one-run, complete game en route to his first Mets victory. On August 14, 2005, against the [[2005 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Dodgers]], he pitched {{fraction|7|1|3}} hitless innings, but ended up losing the no-hitter and the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN200508140.shtml|title=August 14, 2005 New York Mets at Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score and Play by Play|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=August 14, 2005|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref>

===Return to Fenway===
In June 2006, the [[2006 New York Mets season|Mets]] played an interleague series against the [[2006 Boston Red Sox season|Red Sox]], which was Martínez's first appearance at [[Fenway Park]] since leaving the team. The Red Sox gave their former ace a two-minute video tribute on June 27, but showed no courtesies to Martínez the following night. In his June 28, 2006 start, Martínez lasted only three innings, and was rocked for eight runs (six earned) on seven hits, losing his worst game as a Met just before going onto the [[disabled list]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS200606280.shtml|title=June 28, 2006 New York Mets at Boston Red Sox Play by Play and Box Score|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=June 28, 2006|access-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> It was Martínez's only career appearance against the Red Sox, the only Major League team against which he did not record a victory.

===Who's Your Daddy?===
In both the [[2004 ALCS]] and the [[2009 World Series]], Martínez was greeted with the chant "[[Who's your daddy?]]" from [[New York Yankees]] fans whenever Martínez was pitching due to his statement on September 24, 2004, saying, "I mean what can I say? Just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Golen |first1=Jimmy |title=Yankees get to tiring Pedro...again |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ithaca-journal-yankees-get-to-tiring/133818785/ |access-date=October 21, 2023 |work=The Ithaca Journal |date=September 25, 2004 |pages=19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sylver |first1=Sean |title=Ten Years Gone: Pedro Martinez calls the Yankees his daddy |url=https://bosoxinjection.com/2014/09/24/ten-years-gone-pedro-martinez-calls-yankees-daddy/ |access-date=October 21, 2023 |work=BoSox Injection |date=September 24, 2014}}</ref>

==Quotes==
{{Blockquote|"I'm not afraid of hitting anyone, because I can put the ball where I want to. I only hit nine guys last year. When I do hit them, it's usually just a nibble. I can nibble their jersey with the ball. That's how much I can control the ball."

− Martinez to ''Sports Illustrated''<ref name=wright060716>{{cite news |last=Wright |first=P. J. |url=https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2016/06/07/jose-fernandez-challenging-one-pedro-martinezs-historic-records |title=Jose Fernandez is challenging one of Pedro Martinez's historic records |website=Boston.com |date=June 7, 2016 |access-date=June 8, 2016}}</ref>}}

==Pitching style==
Martínez's [[fastball|four-seam fastball]], power [[curveball]], [[Cut fastball|cutter]], [[Sinker (baseball)|sinker]], and [[circle changeup]] were all well above average; combined with his historically excellent control, they proved to be an overpowering package. Martínez threw from a low three-quarters position (nearly [[Sidearm (baseball)|sidearm]]) that hid the ball very well from batters, who have remarked on the difficulty of picking up Martínez's delivery. Additionally, Martínez threw three different types of fastballs - a straight high-velocity four-seam fastball he used to overpower hitters, a two-seamer that ran to his throwing arm side, and a cut fastball that ran away from his throwing arm side - each with the pinpoint control that defined him.

Early in his career, Martínez's fastball was consistently clocked in the 95–98&nbsp;mph range. Using it in combination with his devastating changeup and occasionally mixing in his curveball, he was as dominant a pitcher as the game has ever seen. ''[[Sports Illustrated]]''{{'}}s [[Joe Posnanski]] wrote, "There has never been a pitcher in baseball history—not [[Walter Johnson]], not [[Lefty Grove]], not [[Sandy Koufax]], not [[Tom Seaver]], not [[Roger Clemens]]—who was more overwhelming than the young Pedro."<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_posnanski/09/09/nfl.mlb/2.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912175056/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_posnanski/09/09/nfl.mlb/2.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 12, 2009|work=CNN|title=My NFL predictions, more (cont.)|date=September 9, 2009|access-date=May 22, 2010}}</ref>

As injuries and the aging process took their toll, Martínez made the adjustment to rely more on finesse than power. His fastball settled into the 85–88&nbsp;mph range, although he was occasionally able to reach 90–91&nbsp;mph when the need arose. Martínez continued to use a curveball, a circle changeup, and an occasional slider. With his command of the strike zone, he remained an effective strikeout pitcher despite the drop in velocity. Baseball historian [[Bill James]] described Martínez as being substantially more effective than his pitching peers due to his variety of pitches, pitch speeds, pinpoint control, and numerous modes of deception.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.billjamesonline.com/pitcher_wave_patterns|title=Pitcher Wave Patterns|last=James|first=Bill|date=2015-05-19|website=billjamesonline.com|access-date=2018-02-01|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/story/pedro-martinez-best-of-all-time-boston-red-sox-memoir-062315|title=When Pedro Martinez was the best of all time|last=Sports|first=Fox|website=FOX Sports|access-date=2016-09-11}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Pedro is married to former [[ESPN Deportes]] sideline reporter Carolina Cruz de Martínez, who now runs his charitable organization, Pedro Martínez and Brothers Foundation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.playerwives.com/mlb/boston-red-sox/pedro-martinezs-wife-carolina-cruz-de-martinez/|title=Pedro Martinez's wife Carolina Cruz de Martinez|date=October 27, 2009}}</ref> He has four children. One of his sons, Pedro Martínez Jr., signed with the [[Detroit Tigers]] as an international free agent in September 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20840483/detroit-tigers-sign-prospect-pedro-martinez-jr-son-baseball-hall-famer-pedro-martinez|title=He's my daddy: Pedro's son signs with Tigers|date=September 27, 2017}}</ref> Another son, Pedro Isaías Martínez, signed at [[Nova Southeastern University]] in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Pedro Jr. now plays for the Malone Border Hounds of the Empire Professional Baseball League in Northern New York. He also has another son, Enyol Martínez, and a daughter, Nayla Martínez. {{Citation needed|date=May 2021}} Pedro has been a naturalized American citizen since 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://npg.si.edu/blog/pedro-martinez-on-mound-npg|title=Pedro Martinez on the Mound, in the NPG|last=James|first=Bill|date=2015-05-19|website=National Portrait Gallery|access-date=2021-06-17|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Major League Baseball titles leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball pitchers who have thrown an immaculate inning]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Pedro Martínez (baseball)}}
*{{baseballstats|mlb=118377|espn=2717|br=m/martipe02|fangraphs=200|brm=martin004ped|retro=M/Pmartp001}}
*{{bbhof|martinez-pedro}}
* {{sabrbio|a9ba2c91}}

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|title=[[List of Boston Red Sox Opening Day starting pitchers|Boston Red Sox Opening Day <br /> Starting pitcher]]
|years=1998–2004
|before=[[Tom Gordon]]
|after=[[David Wells]]
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|years=2005
|before=[[Tom Glavine]]
|after=[[Tom Glavine]]
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{{succession box
|title = [[American League]] [[All-Star Game]] <br/> Starting Pitcher
|years = [[1999 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1999]]
|before = [[David Wells]]
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}}
{{succession box
| title = [[National League (baseball)|National League]] [[Major League Baseball Pitcher of the Month Award|Pitcher of the Month]]
| years = August 1997
| before = [[Darryl Kile]]
| after = [[Jeff Shaw]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = [[American League]] [[Major League Baseball Pitcher of the Month Award|Pitcher of the Month]]
| years = April–June 1999<br />September 1999<br />April 2000<br/>May 2001<br/>July 2002
| before = [[Rick Helling]]<br />[[Mariano Rivera]]<br />[[Brad Radke]]<br/ >[[Mark Mulder]]
| after = [[Hideki Irabu]]<br />[[James Baldwin (baseball)|James Baldwin]]<br />[[Roger Clemens]]<br />[[Cory Lidle]]
}}
{{s-end}}

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