Martinez redefined role of DH
Edgar Martinez traveled a long road to reach the major leagues.
And once he got to the big leagues, it took several years for him to settle into the role at which he would truly thrive. But when the future Hall of Famer finally assumed the position as Seattle’s designated hitter, it was well worth the wait.
On Sept. 15, 1990, Martinez made his first start at designated hitter – a position he would redefine over the next 15 years of his career.
Martinez was in his fourth major league season at the time, having played primarily third base for Seattle up to that point.
After the Mariners signed him in 1982, Martinez spent seven seasons in the minor leagues, getting occasional call-ups to the big leagues beginning in 1987.
By the 1990 season, however, he had finally earned his shot to stay with the Mariners, unseating veteran Jim Presley to take over as the team’s starting third baseman.
In his first start at designated hitter, Martinez batted second in the Seattle lineup against the California Angels at Anaheim Stadium.
He appeared to be more than ready for the new position, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a walk in the Mariners’ 7-2 win, as Seattle collected 12 hits against Angels starter Jim Abbott.
Still, it marked one of just two appearances Martinez would make at designated hitter in 1990, as he spent most of the season at third base, batting .301 with 11 homers and 49 RBI.
Again, in 1991, he played just two games at designated hitter – but by 1992, he began a slow transition into the role.
In 1995 – the same year he finally settled in as a full-time DH – Martinez established himself as one of the game’s best hitters. At 32 years old, he led the American League with a .356 batting average, posted an MLB-best .479 on-base percentage and led MLB with 52 doubles, while making 138 of his 145 appearances at designated hitter.
From then on, Martinez was a full-time DH for good – and he more than made up for lost time in the years to come, exemplifying success in the role for a decade.
Martinez finished his career with a .312 batting average, a .418 on-base percentage, 2,247 hits and 514 doubles. Within a seven-year period from 1995-2001, he captured five Outstanding Designated Hitter Awards – an award that was later renamed the Edgar Martinez Award.
Aside from the on-field excellence he displayed at DH, Martinez was revered by teammates for the example he set with his hard work and dedication.
“Because of Edgar, I’m a better player,” Mariners left fielder Raúl Ibañez told the Spokesman-Review in 2004. “And because of him, I’ve always strived to never change. Because of him, I’ve worked harder. Because of him, I’ve become a better hitter. Because of him, I’ve become a better person.”
Martinez was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Janey Murray was the digital content specialist at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
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