There are no two ways around it: the Boston Red Sox brought in J.D. Martinez for his bat.
The Red Sox considerably struggled to hit for power last season, and the addition of Martinez should provide a major lift in the middle of Boston’s lineup. But while Martinez is expected to be slotted as the designated hitter in most games, the new Sox slugger clearly doesn’t want to be limited to just hitting.
Speaking with the media Wednesday, Martinez reiterated his desire to play the outfield for the Red Sox, and his reason why, albeit brief, makes a whole lot of sense.
JD Martinez on why he wants to play the outfield: "Because I'm 30 years old."
— Chris Mason (@ByChrisMason) March 21, 2018
You can’t blame Martinez for wanted to patrol the outfield while he’s still in the prime of his career. The only problem is, Boston boasts one of the most talented, young outfields in the league with Andrew Benintendi, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. Despite desire, Martinez understands his position on the outfield depth chart, and he sounds excited about his role.
Martinez is excited to rotate in: "162 games is almost a crime. It's a long season. So to be able to give guys like Jackie days off and Mookie. Just to get the off of their legs, it's big."
— Chris Mason (@ByChrisMason) March 21, 2018
Martinez only made four errors in 113 games last season, so the Red Sox certainly won’t be fearful of sending their new star to play the field when it’s necessary.
