J.D. Martinez
J.D. Martinez #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts at the end of the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 6, 2017 in Los Angeles. Harry How/Getty Images

With 2017 coming to an end, there hasn’t been much movement among MLB’s biggest free agents. The best hitters available are unsigned, though a couple of teams stand out as favorites to hand out lucrative contracts.

The Boston Red Sox appear to be the most likely landing spot for J.D. Martinez. When it comes to Eric Hosmer, the first baseman might be destined to sign with the San Diego Padres.

Boston was reportedly interested in both players earlier this offseason. The team’s chances of getting Hosmer likely went away when they gave first baseman Mitch Moreland a two-year, $13 million contract last week. That leaves Martinez, who could be the Red Sox’s answer to the New York Yankees’ acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton.

There’s no question that Martinez is the best hitter on the market. The 30-year-old is coming off the best season of his MLB career, hitting .304 with 45 home runs and 104 RBI with the Detroit Tigers and Arizona Diamondbacks. His .690 slugging percentage was easily the best in all of baseball, and only Mike Trout had a higher OPS than Martinez’s 1.066.

The Red Sox might not want to give Martinez a six or seven-year contract, though the sense around baseball seems to be that a deal will eventually get done. Boston is looking to add power to a lineup that ranked dead last among AL teams with just 168 home runs in 2017.

San Diego had more homers than Boston last season, but they still finished last among all MLB teams when it came to runs scored. The Padres are in the middle of a long rebuild, and Hosmer could help the team move closer toward becoming a winner.

Like Martinez, Hosmer picked a good year to have the best season of his career. He set personal bests with a .320/.385/.498 slash line, tying his career-high of 25 home runs. At 28 years old, Hosmer won his fourth Gold Glove award this offseason.

The Kansas City Royals aren’t necessarily out of the running to re-sign Hosmer. San Diego is the favorite, willing to give the first baseman a six-year deal worth around $120 million, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

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