In case you had forgotten, J.D. Martinez reminded everyone Saturday why he’s such a pivotal part of what the Boston Red Sox are trying to do.
Martinez hit what proved to be the deciding homer in Saturday’s extra-innings win over the Cleveland Indians, busting an 0-for-20 slump in the process. He was feeling recuperated after getting a full day off Friday, and with his mind and body right again, he reaffirmed why he’s such a key part of the Red Sox lineup.
Which is what makes one stat about Martinez both unsurprising but also emblematic of his role with the Red Sox.
Martinez has 24 home runs this season (including a couple multi-homer games). And when Martinez hits a homer in a game, the Red Sox are 19-2.
That says just about everything you need to know about Martinez’s value to the Red Sox.
Since he got Friday off, Martinez will be back in the lineup Sunday when Boston aims to complete its sweep of Cleveland. First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. ET on NESN, with pregame coverage beginning at noon ET.
