There was a brief moment of panic for Boston Red Sox fans after J.D. Martinez rolled his ankle running the bases during Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Boston slugger didn’t miss any time and has been playing the outfield in Games 3, 4 and 5 on the West Coast. While it’s certainly a relief Martinez’s injury wasn’t serious, many have wondered if it’s affected his at-bats.
J.D. Martinez last five plate appearances: Four strikeouts and a walk. You wonder how that gimpy right ankle is affecting his balance at the plate. An unusual number of swings-and-misses
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 28, 2018
It’s possible his ankle still is bothering him and he’s unable to put 100 percent of his weight on it. If you ask Martinez, however, he knows exactly what’s wrong.
“I think I’ve created a little bit of bad habits the last couple of days because I was kind of babying it,” Martinez said, via MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “But I think it’s feeling better now. It’s starting to feel better.”
Boston looks to earn the World Series title Sunday night in Game 5 at Dodger Stadium.