J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox got very lucky Tuesday night during Game 1 of the World Series.
Boston must have seen its title chances flash before its eyes when the designated hitter went down in a heap rounding second base after hitting a third-inning double off Los Angeles Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw in the Sox’s eventual 8-4 win.
Martinez drove the ball off the center-field wall, and when he stepped on the second-base bag, his left foot slid. That caused him to lose balance, and as he fell to the ground, Martinez rolled his right ankle in the Fenway Park dirt.
It looked awful, and the Red Sox training staff checked on Martinez, but the DH stayed in the game. Afterward, Martinez admitted to being sore, but he doesn’t seem too worried about the injury.
“My foot slipped when I was touching the bag. It kind of, it’s so wet there and those bags get slippery when they’re wet or something, and I just slipped right over it and I rolled my right ankle on the very next step I took,” Martinez told reporters after the game.
“It feels good, obviously it’s a little bit sore but I think it will be all right.”
It’s safe to assume Martinez and the Red Sox will do everything to make sure he’s good to go in Game 2, as he’ll probably spend a lot of his downtime before Wednesday night icing and elevating the ankle. Obviously, he’ll receive any pregame treatment he needs, too.
But the situation certainly needs to be monitored moving forward. Not only could it hobble Martinez in Game 2, but if it lingers, it could be a real issue in Games 3, 4 and possibly 5, as he will have to play the outfield when the series shifts to Los Angeles.
The good news, though? It could have been a lot worse.
