J.D. Martinez joined an elite list of Red Sox with his latest home run
His name officially stands alongside Manny Ramirez, Ted Williams, and other team legends.
With his latest feat of strength, J.D. Martinez etched his name among an illustrious group of fellow Red Sox power hitters.
Martinez hit his 25th home run of the 2018 season in a 9-6 win over the Angels on Wednesday night.
The impressive three-run shot meant Martinez holds a new record for most home runs by a Red Sox hitter through the end of June.
It’s been an auspicious start in Boston for the 30-year-old slugger, who signed with the Red Sox during spring training as a free agent. He currently holds a .329 average with a .654 slugging percentage and a 1.050 OPS. He leads the league in both home runs and total bases.
By swatting his 25th home run, Martinez also entered into elite company among several Red Sox all-time greats. Per @SoxNotes, Martinez’s total through 81 games puts him alongside names like David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Ted Williams (among others):
Red Sox with 25+ HR through 81 team games:
David Ortiz (2006) – 27
Jimmie Foxx (1938) – 27Mo Vaughn (1995) – 26
Jackie Jensen (1958) – 26J.D. Martinez (2018) – 25
Manny Ramirez (2001) – 25
Ted Williams (1950) – 25— J.P. Long (@SoxNotes) June 28, 2018
And in case you were wondering, here’s how many home runs each of those other players ended up with by season’s end:
David Ortiz, 2006: 54 home runs
Jimmie Foxx, 1938: 50 home runs
Mo Vaughn, 1995: 39 home runs
Jackie Jensen, 1958: 35 home runs
Manny Ramirez, 2001: 41 home runs
Ted Williams, 1950: 28 home runs*
* Williams broke his arm in the All-Star Game in 1950, playing in just 89 games that season.
For those who might have missed some of Martinez’s home runs, here’s a look at all 25 (so far):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inOPkBFc8uU
