Alex Cora jokingly made a bet before the 2021 Major League Baseball season that J.D. Martinez would have a better season than he did in 2020.
Originally, the bet was for one dollar before Cora upped it to five in February.
Martinez had a down year last season with COVID-19 protocols limiting the Boston Red Sox designated hitter’s time in the video room, on top of all the uncertainty surrounding the shortened year.
Now Martinez is a four-time All-Star after being named to the American League team over the weekend, and is enjoying better success at the plate with a .303 average, 17 home runs and 56 RBIs.
After Boston’s 1-0 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, Cora revisited that preseason bet — one that makes him look pretty good right about now.
“J.D., a lot of people gave up on him last year. I told you guys I bet you one dollar that he was going to have a good season. So you guys can send me the money to the clubhouse whenever you guys can,” Cora joked. “He’s one of the best hitters in the big leagues. He is a proud individual, too. And he’s playing with a chip on his shoulder.”
Martinez admitted to coming into this season with a chip on his shoulder, and it certainly has played out that way given what he’s been able to do through the first half of the season.
