Former Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez carries the World Series trophy onto the field before the home opener at Fenway Park on April 9, 2019 in Boston. (Staff Photo/Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

FORT MYERS, Fla. — As he stood in the sunshine at JetBlue Park on Tuesday, Pedro Martinez couldn’t get over how much has changed.

Hours earlier, he’d bumped into D’Angelo Ortiz outside the clubhouse. The Red Sox drafted David Ortiz’s son last summer, but Martinez has known him his entire life.

“He will always be a baby to me, it doesn’t matter how much he grows,” Martinez told the Herald. “I had him on my lap, in my arms. It’s just amazing, it is an amazing feeling. But at the same time it’s a quick reminder how much time flies.”

Then there’s the fact that 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of Boston’s first season without Martinez. At this point, it feels almost like a fever dream that he became a free agent after winning the ‘04 World Series and finished his first-ballot Hall of Fame career with the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. Of the five teams he pitched for during his 18-year career, the Red Sox have always been his true home.

“It’s hard to believe,” he said. “I clicked with Boston from the first day I stepped in Fenway. … I was wondering, what should I expect out of Boston? But all Boston wanted was a competitor that was willing to do anything for the team, and they noticed it right away and they embraced it. So for me, that was clear waters. I loved Boston, Boston loved me. That’s all I need.”

Martinez has been thinking a lot about another moment long in the rearview mirror, too.

“Sometimes I watch the highlights from the All-Star game in ‘99, and I’m like, ‘Wow I can’t believe so much time has gone by,’ ” he said. “I still look at it, and it’s fresh in my mind, everything is clear.”

Martinez famously started the ‘99 All-Star Game for Team AL and was its MVP. He struck out five of the six batters he faced – Diamondbacks’ Matt Williams reached on an error by second baseman Roberto Alomar –and made history in the first inning as the first pitcher to ever strike out the side in the Midsummer Classic.

“I needed to honor Boston, I needed to honor Boston,” he said. “I was representing Boston, Ted Williams, everything that I was doing had meaning for us. And I wanted to do it in the best way possible, and thanks to God everything came out the way it should.”

Martinez is among the legions campaigning for Fenway to host another All-Star Game in the coming years. Atlanta is hosting this season, followed by Philadelphia in honor of the 250th anniversary of 1776. Subsequent seasons are up for grabs, though it would be fitting for the Midsummer Classic to return in 2029 for the 30th anniversary.

“I hope we can come up with a special one,” he said. “We can come up with something really good, because that ‘99, I’ve never seen another All-Star Game like that one. Especially because we had the All-Century Team around the infield. It was amazing, I was more glued into watching the All-Century Team than I was into what I needed to do.”

Another change in the Red Sox universe is less bittersweet. The energy at Fenway South is pleasantly familiar for the Hall of Fame pitcher who led Boston on four playoff runs during his seven seasons with the club. Like many members of the Red Sox organization, he feels the vibes are good.

“I think we’re gonna be really intriguing this year,” he said. “It’s a different team. … The amount of talent we have in the pitching staff, in the infield and the outfield is off the chain. No ceiling for this team.”

“Look how close they were (last year),” he said. “And our defense was horrible.”

Yet for this Red Sox team to truly be different, they must overcome an even bigger obstacle than defense.

Health.

“If this team is healthy, this team is gonna be in the postseason,” Martinez said. “I think this team has a legit opportunity to be in the postseason, and Boston should be excited about this team.”

“I think we can play baseball with any team, but I think someone is going to have to stumble in order for us to get there,” he added. “We’re going to have to play our (expletives) off, but this team can do it. If we are healthy.”

Martinez didn’t want to commit to specific predictions so early in the spring training, but he’s confident the Red Sox are closing the gap with the Yankees, especially with Walker Buehler on the team. He’s excited to see what Buehler, who closed out the World Series against the Yankees last fall, adds to the rivalry.

“I have been a fan of him, and him a fan of me,” Martinez said. “He’s gonna go to New York and they’re gonna remember that he was the one that shot them down. He’s gonna be intimidating, he’s gonna be booed, and he’s gonna be hated by the Yankees because of what he did. Same thing happened to me.”

It’s been a long time since Yankees fans could taunt Martinez with “Who’s your daddy?” chants. Over the two decades since October ‘04, he’s joyfully flipped the script. “Who’s your daddy now?”

Martinez is ready for the Red Sox to enter a new era of greatness. And with two words, he officially passed the torch to Buehler.

“New daddy!”