Martinez went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Monday's 6-1 victory over the Nationals.
Martinez is now on a 13-game hit streak and has hit safely in 15 of 16 games in May overall. The designated hitter is also well on pace to pass his total of 16 home runs from last season, as he has 11 prior to the end of May.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Homers, extends hit streak
Rotowire
Martinez went 2-for-5 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 11-10 loss to Tampa Bay.
Martinez has now logged a hit in 12 straight games, going 18-for-53 with five homers in that span. The 35-year-old veteran has had an incredible month of May, batting .313 with six homers. Martinez boosted his slash line to .276/.315/.586 with eight homers and 33 RBI through 165 plate appearances this season.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Swats another long ball
Rotowire
Martinez went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run Tuesday in an 8-1 win against Atlanta.
With the Dodgers up 5-1 in the ninth, Martinez provided the knockout punch with a three-run shot off Michael Tonkin. The homer was the third in the past two contests for Martinez and extended his hitting streak to eight games. Over that stretch, the veteran slugger is slashing .314/.324/.714 with four home runs and 12 RBI.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Goes deep twice
Rotowire
Martinez went 4-for-5 with two solo homers and three runs scored in Monday's win over Atlanta.
Martinez went deep to get the Dodgers on the board in the second inning and later clocked another homer in the seventh. It was his first multi-hit game since he collected four hits April 18. Martinez has three home runs in his last three games, giving him eight for the year with a .264/.310/.566 slash line through 142 plate appearances.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Belts three-run blast
Rotowire
Martinez went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in a loss to the Cardinals on Saturday.
Martinez's lone hit of the contest was a big one, as he connected for a three-run homer in the sixth inning to tie the game 3-3. The long ball was his sixth of the campaign and his second since returning from a stint on the injured list May 12. Since being activated, he's notched a hit in all but of the eight contests in which he's played, though that has amounted to a modest .212 batting average. Martinez has also knocked in nine RBI over the eight-game span.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Sitting out Wednesday
Rotowire
Martinez is not in the starting lineup against the Twins on Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Martinez will take a seat against right-hander Sonny Gray and Minnesota on Wednesday. Jason Heyward will hit fifth while lining up as the designated hitter.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Hammers three-run homer
Rotowire
Martinez went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run and a walk in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Padres.
Martinez's first-inning blast was ultimately all the offense the Dodgers needed in the win. He's gone 2-for-7 with a walk and three strikeouts over two games since he returned from a back injury that cost him nearly three weeks. The designated hitter is slashing a decent .253/.311/.547 with five homers, 18 RBI, 14 runs scored, nine doubles and two triples through 25 contests.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Batting cleanup in return
Rotowire
Martinez (back) is serving as the DH and batting cleanup Friday versus the Padres.
Martinez was activated from the injured list during the Dodgers' team off day Thursday and will step right back into the starting lineup for Friday night's series opener against San Diego. He had posted an .840 OPS with four home runs and 15 RBI through 23 games prior to suffering a lower back injury.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Activated from injured list
Rotowire
Martinez was activated from the 10-day injured list by the Dodgers on Thursday.
Martinez will skip a rehab assignment and slide right back into the Dodgers' lineup for Friday's series opener against the Padres. The veteran designated hitter missed the last two-and-a-half weeks of action with lower-back tightness.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Should return Friday
Rotowire
Manager Dave Roberts said Martinez (back) will face live pitching at the Dodgers' spring facility in Arizona this week, and the slugger should be back in the lineup for Friday's series opener against the Padres, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
It was previously reported the 35-year-old lined up to return during the three-game set in Milwaukee that begins Monday, but it now appears he's set to be activated Friday. Given Martinez has exclusively served as a designated hitter over the past two seasons, it's not a major surprise he's expected to return without requiring a minor-league rehab assignment.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Hits in cage Friday
Rotowire
Martinez (back) took swings in a batting cage Friday and is expected to return during next week's series against Milwaukee, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
This was the first time that Martinez has hit in the cage since injuring his back against the Cubs on April 24. The veteran also did some running Friday, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, and the progress has him in line to return against the Brewers during the three-game series that starts Monday. Manager Dave Roberts said that Martinez is unlikely to play Monday, so May 9 appears to be the soonest that the slugger will appear in the lineup.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Won't return over weekend
Rotowire
Martinez (back) won't be activated from the 10-day injured list during the Dodgers' upcoming weekend series against the Padres, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Martinez is eligible to come off the 10-day IL beginning Friday in San Diego, but skipper Dave Roberts noted Monday that he expects the slugger to need at least a few extra days before being activated. If all goes well over the next week, Martinez could be ready to return to the starting lineup for the team's series against the Brewers, which is scheduled to begin May 8.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Heads to injured list
Rotowire
Martinez was placed on the 10-day injured list by the Dodgers on Friday, retroactive to April 25, with lower back tightness, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.
Martinez was unable to return to the lineup again Friday, and the Dodgers instead will place the veteran designated hitter on the injured list to get him right. Will Smith was activated off the injured list and will be the designated hitter against the Cardinals with Martinez out. It seems likely that the 35-year-old should require a minimal stint on the injured list at this point.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: To try cage work Friday
Rotowire
Martinez (back) will try to swing in the batting cage Friday, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.
If that workout doesn't go well, Martinez might be headed to the injured list. He hasn't appeared in a game for the Dodgers since last Sunday due to discomfort on the left side of his lower back, and he said the flight back from Pittsburgh on Thursday didn't help matters. Will Smith is expected to come off the concussion IL and serve as the designated hitter in Friday night's series opener against the visiting Cardinals.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Not expected back Friday
Rotowire
Martinez (back) isn't expected to return to the lineup Friday versus the Cardinals, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Martinez is in line to miss a fourth consecutive game while he continues to experience discomfort on the left side of his lower back. It's possible he will undergo an MRI, at which point the team would have a better idea as to when he might be ready to play again. Will Smith (concussion) is expected to come off the 7-day injured list to serve as the club's designated hitter Friday.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Still feeling back discomfort
Rotowire
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Thursday that Martinez (back) hasn't been able to swing a bat in the last few days, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Martinez is out of the lineup for the third straight game Thursday at Pittsburgh, and Roberts told reporters that an MRI might be in the works once the team returns to Los Angeles. The veteran designated hitter began feeling tightness on the left side of his lower back in Sunday's series finale against the Cubs. If he doesn't show improvement by Friday, an IL stint may be necessary. Michael Busch could then remain with the club through Max Muncy's return from paternity leave.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Held out again
Rotowire
Martinez (back) remains out of the Dodgers' lineup for Thursday's game in Pittsburgh, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
It's the third straight start he's missed due to back tightness. Martinez is considered day-to-day and will look to get back in action Friday when the Dodgers return home to host the Cardinals. David Peralta is serving as the designated hitter Thursday, with Trayce Thompson in left field.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Could be available off bench
Rotowire
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters before Wednesday's game that Martinez (back) could be available off the bench against the Pirates but it will depend on how he's feeling after pregame activities, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Martinez is sitting out a second consecutive game while dealing with back tightness. If the veteran designated hitter isn't able to get into the lineup off the bench against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, there's a very good chance he is back in the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Pirates.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Out again Thursday
Rotowire
Martinez (back) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Pirates.
Martinez will take a seat for a second straight day while he deals with back tightness. The hope was that the veteran designated hitter would require only one day off due to the injury, but the Dodgers will give him an extra day to recover. David Peralta will serve as the designated hitter Wednesday while Martinez sits again.
... See More... See Less
Dodgers' J.D. Martinez: Dealing with back tightness
Rotowire
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Martinez is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game in Pittsburgh after experiencing back tightness following Sunday's 7-3 win over the Cubs, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, Roberts said he's hopeful Martinez returns to the lineup Wednesday, but given the 35-year-old has a prior history of back trouble, one day off may not be enough for the issue to fully go away. With Martinez out of the lineup for the first time all season Tuesday, rookie Michael Busch is serving as the Dodgers' designated hitter.
