Detroit Tigers: J.D. Martinez Expected to Miss 3-4 Weeks
By Brad Faber
The Detroit Tigers will reportedly open the season with one of their best hitters on the disabled list.
Over the offseason, Detroit Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez was the subject of trade chatter. To the surprise of some, the Tigers did not end up having a fire sale. Martinez will return for his fourth season in Detroit.
However, it now appears that Martinez’s name will not be in the Tigers’ Opening Day lineup. One week ago, Martinez suffered a foot injury. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus has confirmed that the slugger will not be ready in time for the start of the regular season.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Martinez has “a sprained Linsfranc ligament” in his foot. The 29-year-old is expected to miss 3-4 weeks.
The news certainly comes as a blow to the Tigers offense. Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera, who has been dealing with a back issue, reportedly remains uncertain for Opening Day as well.
Since being released by the Houston Astros in Spring Training of 2014, Martinez has gone on to have three excellent seasons with the Tigers. He missed a considerable amount of time with an elbow fracture last season, but still hit a very impressive .307/.373/.535 (144 OPS+) with 22 home runs and 68 RBI through 120 games. He hit 38 home runs and drove in 102 runs back in 2015.
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The injury to Martinez is expected to open up at least a temporary opportunity for another player. The Tigers have been in a tough situation in deciding what to do with Dixon Machado, Tyler Collins and Steven Moya. All three players are out of minor league options, and they are at risk of being lost through waivers if they don’t make the 25-man roster.
Machado, who has been hailed for his defense, is believed to have a solid chance to make the team as an extra utility player. Collins may be part of the solution to the team’s center field problem. Moya has a lot of power, but until now there hasn’t been a clear spot for him.
Another player who has been opening eyes this spring is JaCoby Jones. The 24-year-old could probably use a bit more seasoning in the minor leagues, but he is believed by some to be the team’s center fielder of the future. Jones has batted .324/.378/.529 with a pair of homers in the Grapefruit League.
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Martinez is set to enter the free agent market after the 2017 season. If the Tigers fall out of contention this summer, some have speculated that his name could return to the trading block.