It a must-win game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night, Boston Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez won’t be able to suit up.
Should the Boston Red Sox go on and advance to the ALDS, they’ll have to do so without superstar J.D. Martinez. Hours before the team’s AL Wild Card Game with the hated New York Yankees, it was announced that Martinez won’t be able to suit up for the contest.
Obviously, this is a bit of a blow for the Red Sox. The pressure is on for both AL East squads, as the last thing they want to do is suffer a season-ending loss against one another. These two teams surely hate each other and it’s got to sting for Martinez knowing he won’t be able to make an impact.
Red Sox roster for AL Wild Card Game vs. Yankees
J.D. Martinez is out for Tuesday’s Wild Card Game due to an ankle injury
Unfortunately for Martinez, he suffered a sprained ankle in the regular-season finale on Sunday going up against the Washington Nationals. In the fifth inning, he accidentally tripped over second base while running to the outfield. It was a freak accident, but it’s left him hurt enough to where he can’t take the field on Tuesday at Fenway Park.
In this Wild Card showdown, Gerrit Cole will be taking the bump for the Yankees, while Nathan Eovaldi is getting the start for the home team. Martinez bounced back in a big way this season, hitting .286 with 28 homers and 99 RBI.
Now, he’s going to have to hope that his teammates will be able to get the job done without him against Cole, one of the best pitchers in the American League. Should the Red Sox come away with a win, they’ll then move on to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS, with Game 1 all set for Thursday night.