J.D. Martinez, OF, Diamondbacks
What’s up: Arizona entered the weekend as the National League’s hottest team, having won 13 consecutive games, including two sweeps of the mighty Dodgers. Martinez, by his own admission, has not quite lived up to expectations this season. But he had a game for the ages last Monday when he blasted four home runs against the Dodgers. He tied baseball’s singlegame home run record and became the 18th player in big-league history and the first Arizona player to go deep four times in a game. The Rockies will have to deal with Martinez beginning Monday night, when they open a four-game series at Chase Field in Phoenix.
Background: The Diamondbacks were searching for a powerful righthanded bat to solidify their outfield and keep them in the playoff hunt this season. In mid-july, they acquired Martinez from Detroit for a trio of prospects. Martinez, who is making $11.75 million this year and can become a free agent after the season, was hitting .305 with 16 home runs, 39 RBIS and a 1.018 OPS (on-base percentage, plus slugging) in 57 games for the Tigers when traded. In his first 42 games with Arizona he was hitting .248 with 18 home runs, 40 RBIS and a .990 OPS.
Saunders’ take: I applauded the Diamondbacks when they made the trade. It showed they were serious about getting into the playoffs. Arizona is a relatively young but immensely talented team that should be a force in the NL West for the foreseeable future. And it appears Martinez wants to stay in the desert. “It’s definitely something I’d love, I’d be interested in. I think one of the most important things in my free agency is I want to be on a team that’s relevant — a team that’s good, a team that’s in it,” he told azcentral.com.