Dodgers JD Martinez: NL West Crown is Only the Beginning of ‘Tough Road Ahead’
Once again the Dodgers will enter the postseason as the National League West division champions, marking the 10th time in 11 years that they have done so. But this season was hardly a sure thing when the year started.
Los Angeles was supposed to take a step back this season, after a lackluster offseason that saw them lose a ton of talent to other teams. They planned on allowing some of their younger guys more playing time to see what they had, so it would likely result in them losing some ground standings-wise.
But LA pushed through it all and fought through the adversity from the early season struggles. Despite the lack of big off-season moves, LA did bring in some quality pieces that have helped shape the team. One of those is slugger JD Martinez, who signed on for $10 million last winter.
Martinez has been one of the biggest contributors to this Dodgers team this season, and he understands what it takes to win at the highest level. He spoke on his thoughts about this year’s Dodgers, and what lies ahead for them.
“It’s a great team, a very talented team, and we have a tough road ahead of us,” Martinez said. “Obviously we’re not thinking about this. We’re thinking about the future. We’re trying to get to the World Series.
Per MLB.com
On the year, Martinez is hitting .262 with 26 home runs and 86 runs batted in. He has helped stabilize the middle of the lineup for the Dodgers, and it has been great to see.
Martinez joined LA to help improve his stock across the league, and he has surely done just that. But he has been impressed with the team-oriented approach from LA this entire season.
“Our lineup is deep, our pitching is deep, and for us to experience the injuries we had and to be able to have young guys just step in and play their roles, it seems like we’ve always had an answer. Every time someone’s gone down, someone steps in.”
Per MLB.com
With the playoffs starting soon, LA is going to need Martinez to remain productive. He won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox a few years ago, so he brings postseason experience to the table.
They will be counting on him for timely hitting, and another veteran presence in the locker room. If he can provide that, LA will be a very tough team to take down.
Photo Credit: Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports
Have you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet? Please subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more all year long!
