Red Sox will need the bat of J.D. Martinez in the postseason
J.D. Martinez is having a great season so far. The Red Sox have the power hitter they’ve needed since David Ortiz retired.
The Boston Red Sox are different from the version of this club that went to the postseason in each of the last two seasons. Not only because of the manager. They also added the power hitter they were missing since the retirement of David Ortiz.
When the Red Sox signed J.D. Martinez there were questions as to whether or not he would be a fit in Boston. The slugger has been the complete opposite of a bad hitter. With 39 home runs, he’s in the running for the MVP award and could possibly capture the Triple Crown.
Red Sox fans were disappointed when they didn’t get Giancarlo Stanton and he went to the rival New York Yankees. So far, the Yankees are losing that trade and the Red Sox are winning with J.D. Martinez.
Martinez has been to the postseason twice. Once with the Detroit Tigers, then with the Arizona Diamondbacks last year. He’s batted .259 in his career with three home runs and six RBI’s in the postseason.
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The MVP candidate hasn’t been bad against potential playoff teams this season. He’s batted .375 against the Indians, .345 against the Yankees, .222 against the Athletics, and .214 against the Astros. The Red Sox host the Astros this weekend.
Last year, the Red Sox played the Astros and only batted .204 against them. With Martinez in the lineup this year it should add an additional power in the middle of the lineup either as a DH or if he’s playing in the field. He has the Yankees and the Indians number when it comes to his batting average. However, against the Athletics and the Astros, it’s a little lower. With playing the Astros at Fenway this weekend he should get his .214 average up.
Martinez has been having a great season with a career-high 115 RBIs. His batting average is .335 with a career-high of 170 hits. All the questions about Martinez working out in Boston were wrong. He’s proving all the doubters that he’s a legit hitter in the league. Even after this season, it seems like the Red Sox were correct with singing Martinez over Stanton.
Having Martinez in the lineup brings that leadership that they’ve been missing since Ortiz. Martinez is trying to live up to the five-year, $110 million contract he signed in February. At the beginning of the season, Ortiz talked about Martinez and the leadership he brings. Even Alex Cora compared Martinez to Manny Ramirez one time in Spring Training.
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Some people rolled their eyes about those comments. We could be seeing an Ortiz like home run in the postseason from Martinez in a big spot. The MVP candidate has been putting on a show in the regular season and I’m sure it will continue in the postseason.