Detroit Tigers Rumors: Is Victor Martinez headed to Seattle Mariners?

Late last evening, Ken Rosenthal tweeted out that the Seattle Mariners may be competing against the Detroit Tigers for the services of Victor Martinez.

This move would make sense from a Seattle prospective as the Mariners went into the last day of the season with a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2001 under the helm of former Tigers’ hitting coach Lloyd McClendon.  The pitching, led by AL Cy Young candidate Felix Hernandez and the defense were outstanding, but their .676 OPS was last in the American League, meaning they likely missed out on the postseason because of a shaky lineup.

This should not be too much of a concern for Tigers’ fans who want V-Mart back just yet. Of course teams are going to throw their name through the media to grab the attention of the player and his agent. While Martinez may be the Mariners top priority, that doesn’t mean the team is V-Mart’s top priority.

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In fact in all the media reports we’ve seen locally, V-Mart will be giving the Tigers first crack at resigning him before exploring other options and is hopeful of a return.

Where the x-factor comes in is whether or not the Tigers will be willing to offer a fourth year for Victor. I think every fan would sign him in a heartbeat if it was for two years, however many acknowledge three years would likely get it done. Martinez reportedly upped the ante recently and is seeking a fourth year.

I am not sure that the Tigers want to commit to four years for a player who will be 36 when next season starts. However, if they are bidding against teams like the Mariners who are very anxious to bring the AL MVP candidate to the fold, they may need to go to a fourth year or say goodbye.