4 years agoBoston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter J.D. Martinez is not among the starting nine for Saturday’s prime matchup at Yankee Stadium against right-hander Masahiro Tanaka. After opening the season with five hits in his first two games, Martinez described his swing as “terrible,” with just two hits in his last 20 at-bats. Kevin Pillar will man the DH role while batting second in Martinez’s stead Saturday. The next opportunity that he will have to return to the lineup comes Sunday when the Yankees are expected to toss left-hander James Paxton in the series finale. Even with his recent struggles, Martinez obliterated lefties last year to the tune of a .404 batting average and 1.381 OPS, so if he’s back in the lineup, owners can feel confident deploying his elite bat.--Jesse Borek
Source: Ian Browne