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J.D. Martinez 2019 Outlook- One Of The Top Sluggers In Baseball
6 years agoIt is somewhat surprising that Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Martinez had a bit of a drop off in 2018, but that shows just how good he was at the end of the 2017 season. In 62 games with the Diamondbacks, Martinez clubbed 29 homers, drove in 65 runs, and had a 1.107 OPS. That being said, his start to his Red Sox tenure was nothing to be ashamed about. The slugger posted a .330 batting average and, in just his second full season, scored 111 runs and drove in a league-best 130 runs. His 43 home runs were a bit off of the 45 that he hit in just 119 games in 2017, but he was still one of the most feared sluggers in baseball last season. It was also the first time that Martinez topped a .400 OBP (.402), showing consistent improvement in his ability to get on base. With a player like Mookie Betts hitting in front of him, there is very little reason to believe that Martinez will see a drop off in his run production statistics. The Red Sox are coming off of a World Series championship and their offense will continue to be among the top three in the league, only making Martinez look better for the future. The only thing that will keep Martinez from fulfilling his top-15 value is the fact that he only played 239 games from 2016-2017. He currently has an ADP of five.
