J.D. Martinez joins shortlist of Red Sox legends with milestone HR originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
J.D. Martinez ended what by his standards is a home run “drought” Saturday in fitting fashion.
The Red Sox designated hitter launched a two-run shot to left field off Kansas City Royals starter Brad Keller in the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium for his 100th homer in a Boston uniform.
The blast was Martinez’s first since June 10, but he’s still second on the team with 14 homers on the season. The 33-year-old became the 32nd player in franchise history to hit 100 home runs with the Red Sox despite playing in just his 415th game with Boston. (That’s roughly one home run every four days.)
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Martinez also boasts a .934 OPS in a Red Sox uniform, joining just seven other players with at least 100 homers and an OPS above .900 for Boston. You’ve probably heard of the other seven.
That’s pretty impressive company, and it’s a reminder that Martinez has been a terrific hitter since signing a five-year, $110 million contract with the Red Sox in 2018 free agency. He boasts a .302 batting average with 305 RBIs in a Boston and is on pace to make his third All-Star team in four seasons with the Sox.