You should be paying attention to the Home Run Derby in Boston
By Cody Rivera
J.D. Martinez and Mookie Betts were neck-and-neck in homers for a while, but Martinez has gained the upper hand… at least for now.
Not only have the Boston Red Sox sprinted out to the best record in baseball at 63-29, but as an added bonus, the fans have been treated to a mini home run competition between the team’s two biggest stars. J.D. Martinez, a veteran slugger, and Mookie Betts, one of the brightest and best young players in the game, have been launching bombs right and left all season long, and it’s added an interesting little wrinkle to the 2018 Red Sox season. Which player will finish the year with more homers?
It has almost been a bit reminiscent of the Summer of ’98, when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa each chased down the longstanding single season home run record of 61 homers, set by the Yankees’ Roger Maris in 1961. McGwire came out on top with 70, breaking the record, while Sosa finished with 66, but the thrill of the chase was what captured the attention of an entire nation.
People care about home runs, and there’s a ton of them happening in Boston right now.
Betts and Martinez obviously have more important things to worry about than besting each other in long balls, such as fending off the New York Yankees in the AL East standings, who trail the Red Sox by only 2.5 games. But for the Boston fans, at the very least, it’s been a nice treat to watch.
As a Red Sox fan myself, it’s had me on the edge of my seat during every game.
Although Martinez (28 homers) has gained a significant upper hand on Betts (22 homers) in recent weeks, the duo were neck-and-neck early in the season. In April and May, the lead changed hands multiple times as they each approached 20 home runs. Unfortunately, Betts ran into a setback at the beginning of June when he went on the 10-day disabled list with a left abdominal strain.
With Betts shelved for a handful of games, Martinez took advantage and took control of the lead. With the All-Star break inching closer and closer in mid-July, Martinez hasn’t slowed down at all, as his 28 homers are currently the most in baseball, ahead of both Mike Trout and Aaron Judge, who are tied for second with 25 homers apiece.
Next: Ranking the teams Manny Machado would help most
Upon his return from the DL, Betts has done his best to keep it as close with Martinez as possible. If he hadn’t gotten injured, he might even be in the lead. Instead, he’s down by six, and he has some ground to make up. Fortunately, there are still two and a half months of regular season. And knowing Mookie Betts, he could make up those six home runs in a heartbeat. All it would take is a couple of multi-homer games – something he’s very capable of. And if Martinez cools off at all, then all bets are off between the two.
Even though Martinez has a firm grip on the lead right now, this mini home run race is far from over.
Stay tuned, Red Sox Nation.