Mental health has become a hot-button topic within the cultural zeitgeist in recent years. Sports are no exception and Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Chris Martin is now the latest athlete to step back from the game for self-care purposes.
Martin was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to anxiety, via ESPN.
“The move was retroactive to Sunday,” the article said. “Martin, 38, last pitched on May 30 against Detroit, giving up four hits, including two home runs, and three earned runs in an inning of work. He has a 4.22 ERA in 21 appearances this season.”
Martin has worked as Boston's setup man this season, recording six holds thus far, to go with three blown saves and a 2-1 record. The Red Sox called up right-hander Zach Wheeler from Triple-A Worchester to fill in for him
How has the organization responded to Martin's decision?
The Red Sox will support Martin for as long as he needs
Boston manager Alex Cora applauded Martin's commitment to his mental health, via The Boston Globe's Alex Speier.
“I remember playing the game, going 0-for-4, going to the apartment, turning on the TV at midnight, watching the game again,” Cora said about his playing days. “I was gonna go 0-for-4 again and then in the morning, watch the game and go 0-for-4 again. I feel like at that time, at that moment, the family suffered. It suffered a lot.”
Due to the difficulty of professional sports, it's common for athletes to get wrapped up in their jobs and not pay enough attention to their personal lives. The competitive fire drives them to obsession, which isn't always healthy.
“As you guys know, Camila is the daughter of divorced parents,” Cora said about his child. “Probably early in my career, I didn't help my family to be as strong as it should be because there were a lot of demons, a lot of stuff going on in between the lines and in the clubhouse and out of baseball…We've been going through this for awhile here as far as guys stepping up and being open about it.”
The manager's temperament is instrumental in setting the tone of a clubhouse, and Cora clearly understands the importance of players being open and honest.
“He's gonna be okay,” Cora continued. “Whenever he's ready, he's ready, right? We don't know if it's short-term, long-term. We never know…But I think with the team that's around, it's gonna surround him, and he's gonna be okay.”
The fact that it's now socially acceptable for a player to step away due to anxiety speaks to the progress that both the sports world and society at large have made regarding mental health support. Even 20 years ago, it was unheard of for players to sit out for anything other than a physical injury.
While Boston may be inconvenienced by losing its setup man at the moment, it will benefit both parties in the long run to allow Martin to collect himself. Now, he'll feel less overwhelmed whenever he does come back, which will likely lead to better performance.
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