It all started with the first hit.
Nothing came of the single J.D. Martinez hit deep to center in the first inning, but his bat got the Boston Red Sox going in an 11-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
The designated hitter is on a tear through Boston’s first four games this season, batting .533 with two home runs so far. He’s impressing his manager, Alex Cora, with his strong start to follow up a very disappointing season in 2020.
But all through the pandemic-shortened season, teammate Xander Bogaerts says he knew his teammate would bounce back.
“I told you guys last year, you know I’m saying? I told you guys, bro. Last year what you guys saw, man, it’s definitely not who he is,” Bogaerts said after the game.
“This a guy that comes to work and he prepares so much. I mean, he relies on his videos heavily, and that’s what it takes for him, that was what changed his career, and I was 100% that was the issue. And this year, having that in game access (for) him just being able to take notice of his mistakes and get better during the game, at bat by a bat, so it’s pretty huge you know especially him carrying the team for now and until all the other guys start doing the job also.”
In Monday’s win over the Rays, Martinez went 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI. He walked twice and even hit a homer off the pesky pole.
“But J.D. with more of the extra-base hit type of pop and that the homers and just driving guys in, you know,” Bogaerts said. “If you can get guys on base for him, especially now, will be huge, because the way he’s swinging, the way he’s seeing it, it’s been pretty close to when he’s at his best. Because I’ve seen some walks that he’s taken, 3-2 counts tonight, I was like ‘man, this guy is really locked in.’
That’s hard to argue. So far, so good.
