Red Sox slugger Martinez scratched with back tightness

By: The Associated Press Posted: 5:14 PM CDT Monday, Aug. 5, 2019 Last Modified: 5:15 PM CDT Monday, Aug. 5, 2019

BOSTON - Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez has been scratched from Monday night's lineup due to back tightness.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

BOSTON - Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez has been scratched from Monday night's lineup due to back tightness.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/08/2019 (2277 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BOSTON – Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez has been scratched from Monday night’s lineup due to back tightness.

Boston manager Alex Cora told the media about two hours before the Red Sox were slated to host the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park.

“It’s been acting up, a little bit tight,” Cora said. “This morning he felt it, got treatment, so we’re going to stay away from him.”

Boston Red Sox's J.D. Martinez hits a two-run home run during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the New York Yankees on Friday, Aug. 2, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

The Red Sox enter the game on an eight-game losing streak, their longest since they dropped eight in a row in July of 2015. Their next longest is 10 straight, done in May of 2014.

The defending World Series champions are also 6 1/2 games out of a playoff spot and trail the AL East-leading Yankees by 14 1/2 games after getting swept in a four-game series over the weekend against their rivals in New York.

With Martinez, the club’s usual cleanup hitter out, Christian Vázquez was moved into the DH spot and will bat sixth. Andrew Benintendi was slotted fourth in the order.

Martinez is batting .299 with 24 home runs and 65 RBIs, far off the pace of last season when he put up 43 homers and a major-league leading 130 RBIs.