Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez hits a career milestone KC
What a day it was in Kansas City for the Red Sox! Coming on the heels of a disappointing loss in last night’s series opener the boys sent a statement that they weren’t done just yet. Scoring seven runs in today’s clash brought them the win and most of those runs came off the bats of J.D. Martinez and Bobby Dalbec. Speaking of the Boston DH, he hit a career milestone this afternoon adding another reason to celebrate.
Make that 100 HR in a Sox uni! pic.twitter.com/Q1moB9b5nq
— Red Sox (@RedSox) June 19, 2021
Martinez absolutely crushed a ball today that brought in a pair of runs and also marked his 100th homer in a Red Sox uniform. Not only is that one hell of a mark for a guy that’s only been here since 2018, but it also marks the most bombs he’s hit for a single team in his career. The slugger has shown that he is back in top form and that last year was a fluke with today’s effort adding another chapter to that story.
J.D. has played for four teams in his career spending the most time, four years, with both the Detroit Tigers and Boston. Going into today he carried 99 dingers for both squads but a monster shot over the fence changed that narrative. It had been a while since the slugger had smashed a homer with his last bomb coming against Houston over a week ago. He’s been productive in that time span but the longball eluded him until now.
With the pace that the DH is setting he could become a desired piece for another organization. Though he won’t be a free agent until 2023, he can choose to opt out after this season and head to the open market. I think all of Red Sox Nation is hoping that isn’t the outcome after this campaign but as we all know, this is a business at the end of the day. Martinez will be 34 as we make our way into the final month of the season and could want one final big contract before he hangs ’em up.
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It would be in Boston’s best interest if they began talks with the slugger to keep him at Fenway Park for the rest of his career. J.D. has expressed interest in an extension keeping him with the Red Sox but it’s all up to Chaim Bloom if he wants to go down that avenue. Personally, I’d love for him to stay here as long as possible but I also felt that way about Mookie Betts and we all know how that ended. Considering he’s one of the team’s best hitters and a key component in the offense, Bloom can’t afford to lose him this winter.
Boston is under the CBT and there’s more money coming off the books with each passing year on the horizon, an extension for Martinez is more than affordable. Obviously, there need to be some deals worked out for guys like Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts as well, but those aren’t as pressing as J.D.’s timeline. Getting an extension worked out or at least some reassurance that the organization is doing everything it can to be competitive is a necessity. If Martinez at least feels that Bloom and company are making moves to ensure this squad is successful, he may not even think about leaving.
Since signing with the Red Sox ahead of the 2018 season J.D. Martinez has been one of the most dangerous hitters in the entire league. He may not always smash a homer but whenever he’s in the batter’s box, it won’t be an easy time for the opposing pitcher. Seeing him hit his 100th bomb in a Boston jersey was awesome today and hopefully, he has plenty more chances to increase that tally.