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The Boston Red Sox left slugger JD Martinez out of their playoff roster for Tuesday night’s AHL game.
Martinez is recovering from a sprained ankle he sustained as he ran to right field between innings of Game 162 on Sunday, twisting his ankle at second base.
The Yankees are battling their own adversity – missing both DJ LeMahieu and Luke Voit ahead of the playoffs – but it’s a blow to Boston. Martinez, 34, finished the 2021 season at 0.286 / 0.349 0.518 stick with 28 home runs, 99 RBIs and 92 runs scored in 148 games. His 42 doubles of the year were tied for most of any Major League Baseball.
In a win-win showdown, every throw is important. Given that the Red Sox will face Gerrit Cole on Tuesday night, the absence of one of their most dangerous hitters is an advantage for the visiting team.
Additionally, Martinez has had some success against Cole in the past. During the right-hander clunker at Fenway in June – allowing six runs and taking one loss – Martinez hit a solo homerun to start the third inning, Boston’s third homerun against Cole in the game.
Asked about Martinez on Monday, Cole called the injured star a “big hitter” and “tough batting.”
“I mean, he’s got magic and he’s got a lot of talent, and so in situations like that, I think you just have to try to stay alert and execute the throws to the best of your ability,” Cole told reporters.
The ace will still have their work cut out for them, trying to fight their way past the rest of Boston’s high-octane roster, but that’s one less threat for Cole to worry about on Tuesday night.
More to prepare for the American League Wild Card Game:
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