Chris Martin Bio
Christopher Riley Martin (born June 2, 1986) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Standing 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 215 pounds, he is a right-handed relief pitcher known for his mid-90s fastball, slider, splitter, and cut fastball. Over the course of his career, Martin has also played in MLB for the Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox, and spent two seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He is a World Series champion (2021) and a Japan Series champion (2016), making him one of the few American pitchers to win championships in both leagues.
Originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2005, Martin’s path to the majors was anything but typical. A shoulder injury and several years away from the game led him to work in warehouses before a return to independent league baseball launched a long and resilient big-league career. He is widely respected for his control on the mound, his preparation between appearances, and his reputation as a dependable late-inning reliever.
Early Life and Background
Christopher Riley Martin was born on June 2, 1986, in the United States. He is the youngest of four children born to Connie and Matt Martin. All three of his older siblings, Crystal, Jonathan, and Shannon, played baseball or softball growing up. His sister Crystal played collegiate softball as a shortstop for the Texas A&M Aggies and earned All-Big 12 Conference recognition during her career.
Martin attended Arlington High School in Arlington, Texas, where he pitched for the school’s baseball team. In 2004, his senior year, the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association named him to its Class 5A All-State team. The Detroit Tigers selected him in the 18th round of the 2004 MLB draft, but Martin did not sign a professional contract and instead chose to continue his education.
After high school, Martin enrolled at McLennan Community College, where he played college baseball for the McLennan Highlanders. Following his freshman year, he received interest from college programs at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas at Austin, but did not have enough course credits to transfer. The Colorado Rockies selected him in the 21st round of the 2005 MLB draft.
Path to Baseball
Martin returned to McLennan for his sophomore season while the Rockies monitored his progress. During that year, he suffered a shoulder injury and was diagnosed with a torn labrum in his pitching arm, requiring surgery. The Rockies ultimately opted not to offer him a contract, and Martin went unselected in the 2006 MLB draft.
After signing with the Fort Worth Cats of the United League Baseball for the 2007 season, an independent league not affiliated with MLB, Martin made the team out of their tryout camp but did not pitch in a game due to shoulder discomfort. A doctor recommended surgery to repair both the labrum and the articular capsule, but Martin chose not to undergo the procedure and stepped away from professional baseball.
For roughly three years, Martin worked outside of baseball. He loaded trucks for UPS at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, moved refrigerators for Lowe’s, and stocked washing machines and dryers in an appliance warehouse in Arlington, Texas. He and a former high school teammate, Jordan Bostick, began playing catch in the warehouse, and Martin noticed that his shoulder felt stronger. With Bostick’s encouragement, he decided to attempt a return to the sport.
Chris Martin Career
Early Career (2010–2013)
In 2010, after three years away from the game, Martin tried out with the Grand Prairie AirHogs of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. He threw fastballs at 95 miles per hour before being pulled aside by AirHogs manager Pete Incaviglia, who signed him to a contract on the spot. Martin made his debut that very night and posted a 4–0 record with a 1.96 earned run average (ERA) for the AirHogs. Impressed by Martin’s velocity, Incaviglia began contacting MLB teams on his behalf.
Before the 2011 season, the Boston Red Sox offered Martin a tryout during spring training, and he signed a minor league contract shortly after. He was assigned to the Greenville Drive of the Single-A South Atlantic League, then promoted to the Salem Red Sox of the High-A Carolina League and the Portland Sea Dogs of the Double-A Eastern League. Across those three levels, he went 6–2 with a 2.55 ERA in 23 appearances. In 2012, Martin began the year as a starting pitcher before being moved to a relief role, finishing with a 4.48 ERA. The following season, working exclusively in relief, he went 5–3 with a 2.25 ERA and five saves in 42 games split between Portland and the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox.
MLB Breakthrough (2014–2015)
After the 2013 season, the Red Sox traded Martin, along with Franklin Morales, to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for infielder Jonathan Herrera. The Rockies had insisted on Martin’s inclusion in the deal. He began 2014 with the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox before earning his first major league promotion on April 25, 2014. Martin made his MLB debut on April 26 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, pitching a scoreless inning. He recorded a 6.89 ERA in 15 2/3 innings for Colorado before being demoted in June.
On January 5, 2015, the Rockies designated Martin for assignment to make room on their 40-man roster for catcher Nick Hundley. Eight days later, on January 13, the Rockies traded him to the New York Yankees for cash considerations. Martin made the Yankees’ Opening Day roster and recorded his first career save on April 28, 2015, in a 4–2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. He finished the season 0–2 with a 5.66 ERA in 24 games, also spending time with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders after a stint on the disabled list due to right elbow tendinitis.
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters Era (2016–2017)
Following the 2015 season, the Yankees sold Martin’s contractual rights to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of NPB’s Pacific League for $750,000. In 2016, he took over as the Fighters’ closer from Hirotoshi Masui and made the Pacific League All-Star team. He finished that season with a 1.07 ERA and 21 saves in 52 appearances, a personal single-season best, although an ankle injury in September forced him to miss the remainder of the regular season and the 2016 Japan Series, which the Fighters ultimately won.
Martin re-signed with the Fighters for 2017 on a contract worth ¥100 million, approximately $891,535. He recorded a 1.19 ERA in 40 appearances that year. Across his two seasons in Japan, he struck out 91 batters and walked just 13 in 88 1/3 innings. He later credited his time in Hokkaido with teaching him how to prepare between appearances with less input from coaches, and he learned a split-finger fastball grip from teammate Shohei Ohtani.
Texas Rangers Era (2018–2019)
On December 15, 2017, Martin signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Texas Rangers. He posted a 4.54 ERA in 41 2/3 innings during the 2018 season and represented MLB in the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series that November. In 2019, he stepped into the closer role when Shawn Kelley went on the injured list, sharing save opportunities with José Leclerc. Martin recorded a 3.08 ERA in 38 appearances for the Rangers, and from May 24 to July 30 he was especially sharp with a 1.45 ERA.
On July 30, 2019, the day before the trade deadline, the Rangers traded Martin to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Kolby Allard. With Atlanta, he had a 4.08 ERA in 20 games and finished the year with a 3.40 ERA and four saves in 58 total appearances. He was included on the Braves’ roster for the 2019 National League Division Series but injured an oblique muscle while warming up in Game 1 and was removed from the roster.
Atlanta Braves Era (2020–2021)
A free agent after 2019, Martin re-signed with Atlanta on November 19, 2019, on a two-year, $14 million contract. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he was outstanding, posting a 1.00 ERA in 19 relief appearances spanning 18 innings. The following year, he recorded a 3.95 ERA in 46 relief outings. During the 2021 postseason, Martin pitched to a 2.08 ERA in five appearances as the Braves captured the 2021 World Series title, cementing his place as a championship-caliber reliever.
Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers (2022)
On March 17, 2022, Martin signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Chicago Cubs. He appeared in 34 games for Chicago and recorded a 4.31 ERA in 31 1/3 innings, though he was much sharper after June 17, posting a 3.29 ERA the rest of the way. On July 30, 2022, the Cubs traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Zach McKinstry. With the Dodgers, he was excellent, going 3–1 with a 1.46 ERA over 24 2/3 innings in 26 appearances.
Boston Red Sox Second Stint (2023–2024)
On December 8, 2022, Martin signed a two-year contract with the Boston Red Sox, returning to the organization that had originally signed him. He opened 2023 in the Boston bullpen and spent two weeks on the injured list during the second half of April. He was highly effective as a reliever, going 4–1 with a 1.05 ERA in 55 appearances before being placed on the injured list on September 28 with a viral infection.
Texas Rangers Second Stint (2025–Present)
On January 6, 2025, Martin signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract to return to the Texas Rangers. On July 21, in a 2–1 loss to the Detroit Tigers, he suffered a left calf strain and was placed on the injured list. He returned on September 1, earning the win in relief during a 7–5 extra-innings victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 49 total appearances for Texas, he went 2–6 with a 2.98 ERA, 43 strikeouts, and two saves across 42 1/3 innings. On December 19, 2025, he re-signed with the Rangers on a one-year, $4 million contract.
Driving Style and Strengths
Listed at 6 feet 8 inches and 215 pounds, Martin uses his tall frame to deliver a fastball that averages 95 miles per hour, along with a slider, a split-finger fastball he developed in Japan, and a cut fastball. He is widely regarded for his exceptional control, having walked just 1.1 batters per nine innings across his career. His preparation habits, refined during his time in Hokkaido, allow him to thrive in a variety of late-inning relief roles.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Martin’s career came on September 11, 2019, when he pitched an immaculate inning against the Philadelphia Phillies, striking out three batters on nine pitches. He is a 2021 World Series champion with the Atlanta Braves and a 2016 Japan Series champion with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, accomplishments that place him among a small group of pitchers to win championships in both MLB and NPB. He also made the Pacific League All-Star team in 2016.
Chris Martin Career Wins
Christopher Riley Martin has built his career almost entirely in relief, making him a valuable late-inning arm rather than a traditional win-accumulator. His most celebrated team accomplishments are championships, not single-season win totals. He won the 2016 Japan Series with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and the 2021 World Series with the Atlanta Braves, while also collecting 21 saves for the Fighters in 2016 and four saves for the Braves in 2019.
MLB Highlights
Across his MLB stops, Martin has been a dependable middle and late-inning reliever. He made his MLB debut on April 26, 2014, with the Colorado Rockies, and recorded his first career save on April 28, 2015, as a member of the New York Yankees. His 1.05 ERA in 55 appearances for the 2023 Boston Red Sox ranks as one of the strongest single-season performances of his career, and his 1.46 ERA across 26 appearances for the 2022 Los Angeles Dodgers was similarly dominant.
NPB Highlights
In his first season in Japan, Martin posted a 1.07 ERA with 21 saves in 52 appearances for the Fighters in 2016, earning Pacific League All-Star honors. He followed that with a 1.19 ERA in 40 appearances in 2017, helping anchor the back end of the bullpen during Hokkaido’s Japan Series-winning campaign in 2016.
Chris Martin Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Christopher Riley Martin comes from a sports-oriented family. He is the youngest of four children of Connie and Matt Martin, and all three of his older siblings, Crystal, Jonathan, and Shannon, played baseball or softball while growing up. Sister Crystal went on to play collegiate softball as a shortstop for the Texas A&M Aggies and was named an All-Big 12 Conference selection during her career.
Personal Life
Martin grew up in Arlington, Texas, and continues to be closely tied to the region where he attended high school and later worked in warehouses during his time away from baseball. His journey from independent league tryout to championship pitcher has made him a respected veteran voice in clubhouses across both MLB and NPB.
2025 Season Performance
Christopher Riley Martin’s 2025 season represented a return to the Texas Rangers, the team that had previously helped reignite his career. Signed to a one-year, $5.5 million contract in January, he served as a multi-inning reliever out of the Texas bullpen, working in a variety of leverage situations throughout the year.
Martin’s season was interrupted by a left calf strain suffered on July 21 against the Detroit Tigers, which sent him to the injured list for roughly six weeks. He returned to action on September 1, earning the win in relief during a dramatic 7–5, extra-innings victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Across 49 total appearances, he finished 2–6 with a 2.98 ERA, 43 strikeouts, and two saves in 42 1/3 innings, providing a steady veteran presence in the late innings.
Following the season, Martin re-signed with the Rangers on December 19, 2025, on a one-year, $4 million contract, signaling that the organization values his experience and consistency heading into the next campaign. With his 2021 World Series ring and 2016 Japan Series ring already in hand, the veteran right-hander continues to chase additional team success in Texas.
