Following a dominant run in Japan that revitalized his big-league prospects, longtime late-inning reliever Chris Martin retires with a 3.53 MLB ERA.
Veteran right-hander Chris Martin has officially retired from Major League Baseball, according to MLB insider Robert Murray. The 40-year-old leaves the game after establishing himself as one of the sport's most trusted late-inning arms.
Martin suited up for the Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox, spending more time in Texas than anywhere else. His path to sustained success was anything but traditional, as he did not reach the big leagues until his late 20s before eventually thriving in high-leverage spots.
Drafted by Colorado in 2005, Martin made his debut in 2014 at age 27, logging 16 appearances before an offseason trade to New York. The Yankees designated him for assignment after the 2015 campaign and sold his contract to Japan's Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in November 2015.
Two dominant years in Nippon Professional Baseball revived his stock. Martin appeared in 92 games for the Fighters, posting a 1.07 ERA during their 2016 Japan Series championship run and a 1.19 ERA in 2017 to earn another shot in North America. He signed with the Rangers ahead of 2018, kicking off the best stretch of his big-league tenure.
From 2018 onward, Martin became a fixture in contending bullpens, recording a 3.26 ERA across 394 outings. His peak came with Boston in 2023, when his setup work earned him American League Cy Young Award votes. Two years earlier, he played a key role in Atlanta's 2021 championship run, allowing just one earned run over 4 1/3 innings across five postseason appearances. In total, he made three postseason rosters with the Braves and another with the Dodgers.
Martin's final chapter did not go as planned. Following a strong 2.98 ERA over 49 games in 2025, he returned to Texas in 2026 but struggled to a 9.00 ERA across 16 appearances and 14 innings before deciding to walk away.
He finishes his big-league run with a 3.53 ERA in 434 games, leaving behind a legacy defined by persistence, adaptability, and a World Series ring.