This is why we can’t have nice things. Victor Martinez had surgery in October to repair a hernia that bothered him throughout last season, general manager Al Avila told reporters on Thursday. According to Avila, Martinez is healthy following the procedure, and should be ready to go when the Tigers report to Lakeland, Fla. for spring training next month.
Despite the injury, the 38-year-old designated hitter had a bounce-back season in 2016, hitting .289/.351/.476 with 27 home runs and 86 RBI. His WAR total was limited by his awful baserunning and a harsh positional adjustment for DHs, but he managed a healthy 120 wRC+ in 154 games.