Martinez sits one out
Back spasms put J.D. on bench
RED SOX NOTEBOOK
J.D. Martinez did not play last night because of back spasms.
He first began feeling them last weekend in Houston, when he exited the Sunday night game in the ninth inning. He exited Thursday night’s game for the same reason.
“He’ll be back (today),” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said before last night’s 1-0 loss to the White Sox.
The Red Sox are already without Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia due to injuries. They’re not too concerned about Martinez, particularly because he’s only once before missed time due to a back injury. That was in 2015, and he missed only three innings.
After feeling his back bother him again Thursday, Martinez needed some time to rest, Cora said.
“He felt OK,” the skipper said. “You know, we texted him in the morning and he was pushing hard but I was like, nah, this is for the long run and I don’t feel comfortable just sending him out there and all of a sudden he gets tight again and he feels it a little bit and I have to take him out. Get treatment, hang out with (trainer Brad Pearson) for a while, and then hit whatever he’s going to hit (today).”
The Sox believe his back injury is related to travel.
“Workload, playing the outfield a few times,” Cora said. “Well, I don’t think the outfield part of it is actually, because he does a lot of work when he’s not actually playing the outfield, but I think it’s more (travel).”
Martinez has played almost half his games in the outfield this season, with 28 starts in the corner spots and 32 starts at designated hitter.
“He has a good idea of how to play the outfield,” Cora said. “He throws the ball to the right places. Here it’s the first time he’s played in front of that Wall consistently when he plays. It’s not that easy. Good outfielders look bad out there. He’s been consistent. He’s been good and we’re very comfortable.”
Cora met with Martinez when he was still a free agent during the negotiation process over the winter.
“He was like, ‘I’ll play whenever you guys want me to play,’” Cora said. “Obviously he has a good agent.”
Taking it slow
Betts, on the disabled list with a left abdominal strain, won’t go on a rehab assignment until “he’s swinging with conviction.”
“(Thursday) it was OK,” Cora said. “He’s been doing a lot of stuff here that made us think the BP part of it, the baseball part of it, was going to take care of itself. But sometimes it doesn’t work that way.
“He’s been very aggressive in the weight room and everything he’s doing. It’s just a matter of him feeling comfortable and he can swing with conviction. When that happens we’ll make a decision.”
Pedroia has “done a few” baseball activities but still has inflammation in his knee.
Here’s the catch
Blake Swihart’s first start at catcher since 2015 wasn’t exactly smooth sailing.
The starting pitcher, Jalen Beeks, gave up six runs and Cora said afterward that the pitch mix contributed largely to the poor outing, though he also said he was pleased with Swihart’s game behind the plate.
Swihart was in the lineup as the DH last night (0-for3, two strikeouts) with Martinez on the bench. When will Swihart catch next?
“We’ll go with the flow, see how it works,” Cora said. “We have a few off days coming up. One thing for sure, we’re comfortable with him. You saw it. I mentioned it (Thursday). Sometimes it’s hard-hard, stuff-wise, like, ‘Where should I go here?’ And he did. All of a sudden he started throwing off-speed pitches. The communication with (pitching coach Dana LeVangie) was great, the communication with pitchers was really, really good. He blocked a few balls. We’re good. We’re comfortable.”
Haley aboard
Before the game the Sox returned Beeks to TripleA Pawtucket and selected Justin Haley to the active roster.
Haley had a 3.18 ERA with a 3.25 strikeout-towalk ratio with the PawSox. He had a 6.00 ERA in 18 innings with the Twins last season.
Haley will likely serve in long relief.
“We need someone who can give us multiple innings if something happens,” Cora said. “That breaking ball down, with that funky delivery, that’s why we feel he’s the right guy for now.”