Red Sox: J.D. Martinez wins two Silver Slugger Awards
Though J.D. Martinez of the Boston Red Sox was mysteriously left off the American League MVP ballot, he more than made up for it by bringing home some additional hardware.
Virtually every baseball fan under the sun knew full well that J.D. Martinez, one of the game’s best hitters, had an absolutely tremendous season for the World Series champion Boston Red Sox. He hit with exceptional power, was one of the most consistent offensive threats in all of baseball and finished with some unreal stats.
In fact, he finished with a slash line of .330/.402/.629 with 43 home runs, a whopping 130 RBI, 37 doubles, six stolen bases, two triples, 111 runs scored and 69 walks in 649 plate appearances. Though everyone knew he had a season for the ages, Thursday’s Silver Slugger Award announcements all but confirmed it.
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Martinez, 31, became the first player in MLB history to win two Silver Slugger awards in the same season, taking the crown for both the outfield and designated hitter positions. These are Martinez’s second and third career Silver Slugger awards.
As crazy as it sounds, Martinez, who played 57 games in the outfield and 93 games at the DH position, was actually the recipient of the same award in two separate positions. While shockingly unusual, it’s hard to argue against a WAR of 6.4, the ninth highest in all of baseball.
A former member of the Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers, the native of Miami, Florida has earned himself the prestigious reputation of being one of the most dangerous hitters in all of baseball. With several more seasons of team control, it seems more and more every day like the Red Sox truly have a bargain on their hands with J.D. Martinez.
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It’ll be interesting to see how he follows up his excellent 2018 season. With a stacked Boston Red Sox team to match, Martinez will be one of the top players to watch next season.