Martinez will convert home runs into dollars

LAKE BUEN A V ISTA ,F LA . » J.D. Martinez has a chance to see in person what his monster year is worth.

The free-agent star who hit .303 with 45 home runs was ready for a meet-and-greet session with teams at the winter meetings. The Boston Red Sox wanted to see him, having hit the fewest homers in the majors last season.

“The only reason I think you have players talk to owners, presidents and general managers is there’s a request to really get to know the player,” agent Scott Boras said Wednesday. “They get to ask questions that they can never ask because they’re never in front of the player.”

St. Louis added a power bat, swinging a deal for Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The move came just a few days after Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton turned down a trade to the Cardinals.

The bullpen carousel continued to turn, too.

Side-arming Joe Smith moved to the World Series champion Houston Astros, who wanted a right-hander tough on righty hitters after Luke Gregerson went to St. Louis.

Seattle appeared to close in on former Rockies pitcher Juan Nicasio, who led the National League with 76 appearances for the Cardinals. The New York Mets reached a deal with righty Anthony Swarzak, a person familiar with the talks told the AP.

Minnesota boosted its rotation — for late 2018, at the earliest. The Twins agreed to a $10 million, two-year contract with former Yankees righty Michael Pineda, who had Tommy John surgery last July.

Martinez totaled 104 RBIs and a 1.066 OPS with Detroit and Arizona, and his season included a four-homer game for the Diamondbacks. The 30-year-old lives in Florida and was going to hit the meetings before they end Thursday.

The Red Sox need power, a feeling heightened by the Yankees completing a trade for Stanton this week, less than a month after he won the NL MVP by leading with majors with 59 home runs and 132 RBIs.