While the Jeff Luhnow regime was on-target about so many player evaluations, Julio Daniel Martinez will be seen as "the one who got away". A 20th-round draft pick of the Ed Wade Astros in 2009, the Miami, FL native flew through the minors leagues and was called up to the parent club in August, 2011, at the same time as Jose Altuvé.

The outfielder batted .274 with six homers over the last two months of his rookie season but struggled the following year despite leading the club in RBIs. The Luhnow staff tried to change his approach at the plate which led to more struggles and, after a rough 2014 spring training, Martinez was released.

The Detroit Tigers signed him and told him to go back to what had worked. He responded with a .315 average, 23 homers and a .912 OPS. Martinez was an All-Star the following year, smacking 38 homers and driving in 102 runs.

In 2017, he hit .303, launched 45 homers and drove in 104 runs with an OPS of 1.066 despite a mid-season trade to Arizona. He signed a free agent contract with Boston and got his ultimate revenge in 2018 by helping the Red Sox beat the Astros in the ALCS on their way to a Worlds Championship. He was an All-Star again in 2018 and 2019.

Through the 2019 season, Martinez has compiled a .294 career average, an .894 OPS, 231 homers and 711 RBIs.