J.D. Martinez Not Expected To Miss Time With Back Spasms
BOSTON (CBS) --Back spasms caused Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez to miss his final at-bat during Sunday night's 9-3 win over the Houston Astros.
But don't be concerned that Martinez will join Boston's growing list of players on the DL. Boston manager Alex Cora said he expects Martinez to be back in the Red Sox lineup Tuesday night when they open a six-game homestand at Fenway Park.
"He'll be fine," Cora told reporters after Sunday's win.
Cora said he had to talk Martinez out of his at-bat in the ninth, and attributed the back spasms to Boston's rough travel schedule over the last month (the Sox played 26 games in the last 27 days). That schedule was a big reason why the team did not take batting practice on Saturday or Sunday.
"I think the workload the past few days, day games at home last week, and flying all the way here, that's probably why," he said of Martinez's back spasms.
Martinez went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Sunday night's win. Sam Travis pinch-hit for Martinez in the top of the ninth and clubbed a two-run single off Houston closer Ken Giles.
Martinez is putting up MVP-like numbers in his first season in Boston, slashing .315/.374/.648 while leading all of baseball with 50 RBIs. His 19 home runs are tied for the AL-lead with Los Angeles' Mike Trout.
Over the weekend, Boston placed both Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia on the 10-day disabled list.
