The Texans center will be sticking around a little while longer
Texans sign Martin to baffling extension
Sep 10, 2019, 12:55 pm
Jim Rogash/Getty Images
The Houston Texans and center Nick Martin agreed to a contract extension.
The Texans have signed C Nick Martin to a three-year, $33M extension with $18.35M guaranteed, per source.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 10, 2019
The signing of Martin at this number is baffling. The average annual salary ties him for third among center with five-time All-Pro Maurkice Pouncey. It is roughly a top-ten figure when it comes to guaranteed money at the center position.
He was drafted as a replacement for incumbent starter Ben Jones who left in free agency to the Tennessee Titans. Jones, since his departure, has been a mainstay for the Titans and even earned a contract extension with Tennessee.
Martin meanwhile has regularly been below average. He graded out as the 17th best center according to Pro Football Focus in 2018 among players who played half the snaps or more. Last year the Jones, both of the Colts centers, and Jacksonville center Brandon Linder all graded out higher than Martin.
He was the 5th best center according to grading in a four team division.
The Texans are taking a huge risk committing to Martin for this length of time when huge money will be due to Laremy Tunsil and Deshaun Watson in the near future.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.