Mets manager Carlos Mendoza suggested Tuesday that J.D. Martinez appears ready to get his first taste of the NLCS on Wednesday when the series moves to Queens.
“There's a good chance he'll be in the lineup tomorrow,” Mendoza said during the Mets' practice at Citi Field. “He's a professional hitter and means a lot to this team and its batting lineup. I mean, his presence, like I said, makes us better every time he's out there.” He will continue to be an important part of the team.”
Martinez has split time with left-handed hitter Jesse Winker during the postseason, and Mendoza opted to be acquired at the trade deadline for the first two games of the series against the Dodgers.
After hitting a brutal .109 over the final 16 games of the regular season, Martinez has fared well in limited time in the postseason, going 4-for-14 with 3 RBIs and 1 RBI for the Mets. They return to Citi Field tied for first place. 1st place Dodgers in NLCS.
In addition to his success in this year's postseason, Martinez has proven to be a valuable addition to the lineup in the playoffs during his time with the Tigers, Diamondbacks, Red Sox, and Dodgers.
He posted a slash line of .293/.385/.556 over his playoff career, hitting 10 home runs in 39 games.
Martinez, who spent last season with the Dodgers, was described by Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts as a “hitting whisperer” and is said to have helped coach Mookie Betts.
“Hopefully he doesn't give away too many trade secrets, but I'm sure he will, as far as how we think hitting-wise,” Roberts said Tuesday. “He's a master hitter. He loves the game. He's crazy about hitting. He's not that great of a runner, but he loves hitting. And he just commands respect. . He's very likable. So he's obviously been a huge addition to the Mets in a lot of ways that people don't realize. I'm sure it helped.”
Martinez signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Mets in March, and Mendoza on Wednesday called it a “privilege” to have a mind like him in the clubhouse.
“JD has been a huge asset to us as a team,” Mendoza said. “He's a great player in that clubhouse. He's a special player, not just offensively, but in terms of his experience, the way he sees the game and the way he prepares.”
