The Boston Red Sox suffered a disappointing 2022 season, finishing dead last in the ever-competitive AL East with a 78-84 record just a year after making the ALCS. And it appears as if the Red Sox are preparing to move on to their next era with key members of their 2018 World Series-winning core, such as JD Martinez, Xander Bogaerts (player option), and Chris Sale (player option) set to enter free agency.

And with the Hot Stove set to simmer in a few weeks following the conclusion of the World Series, the Red Sox may have already hinted at their plan for the hard-hitting Martinez, who has hit 130 home runs for the Red Sox since 2018.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Red Sox “are not planning” to extend the $19.65 million qualifying offer to JD Martinez, “as much as they like him”.

While Red Sox fans will undoubtedly be sad to see such a fixture of the team's success in prior seasons be likely to leave, it might be the best for both parties for Martinez to find greener pastures. The 35-year old designated hitter has been on the decline, with both his power production and total impact on the game dwindling since his peak in 2018.

While Martinez bounced back from the putrid season he had during the weird shortened 2020 season, it's unreasonable to expect further improvements from someone on the wrong side of the aging curve.

And with the heavy-hitting Triston Casas set to emerge as an even bigger part of the Red Sox' lineup following his late-season callup, the Red Sox will not be lacking in suitable replacements for the aging JD Martinez.

The bigger free agency story Red Sox fans will be keeping an eye on is that of Xander Bogaerts', especially after he posted the best all-around season of his career in 2022, at least according to Fangraphs WAR. Bogaerts has remade himself into one of the best defensive shortstops in the league, and his hitting prowess has always been above average for a middle infielder, so the Red Sox will have plenty of rivals for the the 30-year old's signature.

At the end of the day, perhaps the Red Sox are just preparing their coffers just so they could break the bank for Aaron Judge, who is entering free agency coming off an insane 62 home runs. His playoff struggles notwithstanding, Judge would be such a marked improvement over JD Martinez, and maybe they are just making the smart play by going for the history-setting outfielder.